Total Eclipse
by Katya Noctis
Summary: Zorc, the Embodiment of Darkness, did not so easily accept defeat. He - It - attempts survival after the final battle with Atem...and Its survival corrupts what should have been a bright future.
1. Prologue

**Total Eclipse**

Rating: T

Warnings: none as of now; will edit/update as chapters are posted

Notes: ...I can't believe I'm finally posting this fic.

I started writing it 8 years ago. Literally. I wrote a good chunk of it, including the ending, but got stuck filling in the rest of the story. I put it aside and forgot about it, and finally revisited it again this year. I filled in the gaps, edited it, had it beta'd...and here is the first installment!

Huge, enormous thanks to my betas, ashethehedgehog and Rika, and Phoebe Delos for being a good sounding board for ideas. And huge thanks to my friends who encouraged me to keep writing and fine-tuning this story.

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

The Lord of Darkness sneered at the tiny figure below: battered, beaten, but somehow standing. What else could this pathetic mortal throw at him? Even with that little counterpart coming to his aid, there was nothing, nothing—

Power shone around the pharaoh, surrounding him with light that burned at Zorc's very existence. It growled, preparing to destroy him for the last time. But a voice – _his_ voice – cried, strong and clear:

"I am Pharaoh ATEM!"

 _No!_ The mere utterance of the name alone was enough to push It back. It felt the edge of Its shroud of night flicker.

"I call forth the gods of Egypt!"

Pathetic mortal, trying something that had failed once already; even with the so-called gods encased in stone… but no, there they were, soaring from the pharaoh's other half into their corporeal manifestations and bursting forth in a shower of colored light. Light, _again_ , that marred Its darkness.

But it mattered not. It sneered at the pair of them: one light, one shadow, but both hope. "What makes you think you can succeed where once before you have failed? The gods bow to ME now, and you shall go with them!"

"So you say, but there's something I didn't do before," the pharaoh smirked. "Fuse them together!"

Light. Blinding white light sliced through the gloom, searing It with its brightness. It turned, and before Its burning retinas stood the manifestation of Light itself, the being that made every fiber of Its existence seethe with hatred.

Light struck. Darkness writhed, screaming as It was torn apart from the inside out.

 _No_! It screamed, voice cracking walls and causing tremors in the earth. Hatred, denial and malice oozed out of every pore in Its contorted form, almost visible, as it was consumed. Consumed, defeated, ruined by the hateful being of light in front of It.

How was this possible? How could It possibly have failed? The pharaoh was on his knees before It, _on his knees_! It snarled and howled. He could _not_ win! He should be broken and lost, both him and his pathetic counterpart!

Ruby eyes full of fury and hatred fixed on them. "If I perish, I will take you with me!" It screamed, flinging a hand toward them. The counterpart moved, trying to protect his other half, but it was too late. Too late…

The light intensified. Howling, thrashing, screaming in agony, It withdrew. It had lost, lost for good, lost forever…

 _No_ , It thought. _No… if I cannot win… I will take them down! I will! No matter how long it takes…you shall pay for this, Pharaoh ATEM. WHEN I AM DONE, YOU SHALL ROT IN THE DARKEST PITS OF HELL WITH YOUR COUNTERPART BESIDE YOU!_

No one noticed the small fragment of shadow that broke away from the monstrous form just before it dissolved, swallowed by the Creator of Light. The Shadow fell, fell… yet it did not tumble to the ground. Instead, it drifted, as though it was a leaf on a light breeze, searching for the one being who had once called the shadows his home, if only for a time.

No one noticed as it latched onto the Puzzle, fusing itself into the golden pyramid and causing it to darken slightly. Yugi couldn't feel it. Atem did not feel it. And as the Creator of Light spoke to him, the darkness found a tiny corner of the pharaoh's soul.

It buried itself there. And It waited.

Atem would perish. Yugi would perish. Light and shadow, the counterparts that brought about the demise of the Lord of Darkness would suffer and suffer, and nothing could be done.

The Lord of Darkness would bring them down. In due time.


	2. Chapter 1 - Glimmer

**18 months later**

 _How easy it had been. How easy to worm Its way into the Pharaoh's heart, whispering Its will deep in the back of his pathetic mind. It knew it would take time, but It was eternal. It could take all the time it needed; It had the whole of the Pharaoh's weak, mortal life, after all, and this was something It would savor, slowly._

 _Perhaps, however, because of the affinity for darkness he had already possessed, being sealed in the Puzzle with Shadows for so long, he had succumbed to Its will earlier than expected. He belonged to It now._

 _It felt deep, sadistic satisfaction._

 _It was winning._

* * *

Seto stalked down the hallway, growling obscenities at the world in his head. _Gods_ , high school was such a waste of time. Six hours full of whiny teenagers too caught up in their mundane drama to realize how ridiculously unimportant they were, of teachers who droned on about subjects he'd mastered years ago, classes at a level far beneath his own. _Six hours_ that he could have spent in his office, managing his company or working on one of his new projects. _His_ projects, which kept the company going, and always two steps ahead of the competition.

And _why_ did he have to put up with this? Stupid legalities of being a minor and not having a diploma, despite the fact that he was capable of much more than the average adult twice his age. But he would not give his adversaries any loophole to try and tear him down. He had worked too hard for that. Thus, he put up with high school, though today had been full of so much blatant stupidity that it made him want to tear the building down with his bare hands.

Rounding a corner, he stopped short, nearly colliding with what was definitely a very strange sight.

Yugi Mutou stood on his backpack on tiptoe, clutching the open door of his locker with one hand. Underneath the backpack were two thick textbooks. However, those extra few inches didn't seem to be quite enough for the tiny duelist, as his other hand strained towards the top of his locker, clearly trying to reach something.

If Seto hadn't been in such a horrendous mood, he would have laughed. The sight of Yugi balancing on a knapsack and a couple of books was downright comical. Usually, one of those ridiculous geeks who called themselves his friends would help him, or so Seto assumed. Now, however, there was no one else in sight.

Seto crossed his arms, leaning against the nearby lockers. "Having fun?" he asked mockingly.

Yugi jumped and nearly fell, catching himself on the side of the locker. He looked at Seto, something strange flickering in his eyes before he settled into an annoyed stare. "Sure, Kaiba," he said quietly. "Though it would be nice to get some help," he added.

Seto snorted and was about to reply when the backpack shifted and fell out from under the textbooks. Yugi gasped as he lost his footing and just barely managed to hang on to the locker, narrowly avoiding crashing to the ground. The sleeve of his jacket slid up his arm a few inches, giving Seto an unexpected view of a rather bruised wrist, a clear testament to previous failures like this one. Yugi let go after a moment, falling flat on his ass, and glared up at the top of his locker in exasperation.

Seto rolled his eyes, deciding that he had better help his rival, since none of his little fan club seemed to be around. Otherwise, Yugi might end up severely injuring himself.

"What is it that you need?" he sneered, stepping up to the locker.

Yugi sighed, picking himself up. "Our short stories book for English," he said, his voice not rising above a half-whisper. "It's small; it keeps falling to the back."

 _Why the hell is he being so quiet?_ Seto wondered irritably. _It's not like I'm going to bite his head off._ He reached into the compartment, which was at his eye level, and found the book quickly. It had, indeed, slid to the very back of the compartment.

"Here," he said, tossing the book at him. Yugi fumbled, but managed to catch it. "And next time, make sure one of your pathetic cheerleaders is there to catch you."

Laughter met his ears and he turned. _Speak of the devil_ , he thought. Yami sauntered down the hallway he had exited not too long ago, flanked by Joey and Téa. Chattering animatedly, they passed Yugi and Seto, with only a passing glance from the former pharaoh acknowledging their presence.

 _Odd_ , he thought, _You'd think the almighty King of Games would get all concerned about his precious counterpart._ Everyone knew that he was annoyingly overprotective when it came to his friends.

Turning back, he saw Yugi had replaced the textbooks and book of short stories in his backpack and looked rather down. No, not down… apprehensive? About what, the fact that his friends passed him by?

He snickered. "Oh, is that it? Your friends are following your alter ego and you're left all on your lonesome? How sad," he said, entirely unsympathetic. While Yugi was evenly matched in terms of gaming skill with his other half, it was not surprising to Seto at all to see the Geek Squad rallying to the King of Games. He still held that regal aura that drew followers like flies to honey; Seto could hear admiring whispers even now as he passed by. Yugi, on the other hand…did not.

To his surprise, Yugi just shrugged, not meeting his eyes. He almost looked…relieved. "Thanks for the help," he whispered, so softly that Seto almost had to strain to hear him. He turned and walked away.

 _Hmph. So much for that_ , Seto thought, heading down the hall towards the library. He'd hoped to get a rise out of him, but no matter. It was his free period, and he intended to get some serious work done on his new product ideas.


	3. Chapter 2 - Illumination

_No one else knew. It made sure of that. No, It was wise and wily; It knew that to keep all surrounding him quiescent, Its new host could not appear to change. So It kept Itself hidden, subtly influencing the weak mortals, drawing them to the former Pharaoh through a guise that fooled them all._

 _Except, of course... the Light._

 _But the Light would be snuffed out. Already, the Light was being eclipsed, Its influence masking his own. As It always strove to do, since the beginning of the universe itself._

 _This time, Light would lose to Darkness._

* * *

Seto leaned against the wall, reading avidly. The soft rustle the pages made as he turned them was the only sound that attempted to break the eerie silence of the dimly lit library. Very few students actually used the place, as the town library had a much better selection, and the internet, of course, had everything. Even fewer actually lingered to read…which was exactly why Seto liked coming here on his break. He could concentrate on whatever he was working on, for one thing; for another, it was one of the few times each day where he was able to work in peace and quiet.

He wasn't working at that moment, though. Today was one of the rare occurrences where he had gotten sidetracked. After brainstorming design ideas for his newest gadget for half an hour, he'd gotten stuck on a feature he couldn't figure out how to implement. He didn't really expect the small library to have anything helpful, but he made his way to the science section anyway, just to give his eyes a rest. Surprisingly enough, buried in the far corner of the section was a book on the history of robotics. It wasn't particularly what he'd been looking for, but he'd picked up the book anyway and had quickly become rapt. He'd studied the history of technology extensively, of course, but robots and artificial intelligence had always interested him more than anything else.

Thus, he stood in the cramped aisle, in a particularly dim corner that was furthest from the door, so engrossed in the text that he didn't hear the door open and close, or the soft footsteps that made their way closer to his aisle; so soft, it was almost as though the person was sneaking around, trying desperately not to be heard.

He did, however, hear the door open and close the second time. A new set of footsteps made their way down the aisles: louder, confident, quick… He looked up, not seeing anything. Then…

"So here you are," a deep voice rumbled softly, causing Seto to jump. In the near-complete silence that preceded it, the soft baritone was as loud as a shout to his ears. He frowned in recognition, wondering what on earth Yami would want with him.

A rustle of cloth and a gasp made Seto aware of the other person in the room. He was about to march out of the aisle and snap at Yami and whoever he was with for disturbing him, when–

A rush of color. Then a _thump_.

He'd instinctively started at the sound. It sounded close… _very_ close. Breathing quietly through his nose, he backed up to the wall slowly, peering into the next aisle through a wide gap in the books. He blinked, not quite sure whether to believe his eyes.

Yami's back was to him in the very next aisle, barely ten feet away. His stance was threatening, cat-like, towering over the small figure he'd shoved against the opposite bookcase, though they were barely an inch apart in height. One hand blocked the only way out. The other was fisted in his victim's shirt, pushing him up to his tip-toes so their faces were close. Seto almost missed what the other boy looked like… until he shifted, and his face became clear…and his hair.

There was no mistaking that hair. It was _Yugi_.

...Seto just stared. He _had_ to be dreaming. This was too absurd to be real. Since _when_ did the benevolent, sickeningly charming King of Games threaten someone? And since when did he even _look_ at _Yugi_ in any way remotely negative? Weren't they connected somehow?

His thoughts were interrupted by the King of Games once again.

"Did you really think you could hide from me here?" His tone was low and silky, sneering at his counterpart.

Yugi's face was a mask of terror; he was practically hyperventilating. "I… I needed to…" he stammered, barely above a whisper. "…to find s-something… I–"

Yami cut him off. "Don't _lie_ to me, _partner_ ," he hissed, causing the shorter duelist to flinch. "What did Kaiba want with you?" His tone was demanding now, but still that low, dangerous rumble that sent a shiver running down Seto's spine. "Or should I ask… what did _you_ want with _Kaiba_?"

This was getting utterly ridiculous. Since when was Yami so upset about Yugi talking to _him_ that he had to _threaten_ him about it? Seto had a mind to head to the pair and set the record straight, but something kept him in his place. Maybe it was the fact that Yugi looked more frightened of Yami than of anyone else Seto had ever seen. Maybe it was the fact that Yami was acting more like a bully than a protector, which made the entire situation weird as _hell_. He wasn't sure. He just stared, completely flummoxed, at what he was witnessing.

Yugi, if anything, looked close to tears.

"N-nothing, he… he almost ran into me and saw me trying to get my book," he stammered, his voice gaining volume as he pleaded with his other half. "He helped me and walked off, th-that's all, I sw—"

A deafening crack split the silence and Seto's jaw dropped in utter shock. Yugi's head snapped into the books behind him from the force of the slap. He cowered against the bookshelf, curling in on himself, one hand gingerly touching his cheek.

"What did I tell you," Yami growled in an even softer, albeit more dangerous-sounding tone, "about raising your voice?" Yugi was shaking visibly; he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "What was that, _other self_?" he sneered maliciously. Seto's stomach dropped; he suddenly knew what was coming.

Trying desperately to control his hyperventilating, Yugi spoke up in a barely audible whisper. "N-not t-to…"

"Precisely."

The King of Games suddenly lashed out like a snake, striking Yugi across the face a second time, eliciting a cry of pain from his lighter half. Yugi's eyes widened in horror and he slapped a hand over his own mouth, but it wasn't enough to stop Yami from shoving him roughly to the ground.

"Quiet, _partner_ ," he snarled. "Someone might _hear_ you." His foot connected brutally with the tiny duelist's stomach, eliciting another cry, though this one was muffled and almost negligible. "I said, _shut up._ " Another kick, another barely audible cry. Seto wished he could speak up and say that Yami's blows were the loudest sounds in the room. But he was frozen silent, shocked to his very core, unable to do anything but watch.

Another kick. No cry this time. Another. Seto suddenly wished for noise. Any kind of noise to drown out the terrible silence, broken only by the occasional thwack of a shoe making contact with flesh.

Another. Gods, he had to do something. This was insane. Yami was laughing softly now, a low, sinister snicker that made Seto's skin crawl.

Another. Why couldn't he move? He had to stop this NOW.

Another. _Come on, dammit,_ he berated himself mentally. _HELP HIM. DO SOMETHING._

But it was over. Yami stood over the crumpled and shaking form of his counterpart, now terribly, horribly silent. Seto could see his profile now, the normally stoic features twisted into an ugly mask of disgust and a sick, perverse glint of enjoyment in his eyes, which had darkened to a crimson so deep, it was almost black. He bent over, leaning down towards the form below him.

"Now we've learned our lesson." The sultry, dangerous rumble was back. "Isn't that right, _other self_?" No response. He knelt, bringing his face closer. "Isn't it, now?" The multi-colored spikes of hair moving were Seto's only indication that Yugi had given a tiny nod. "Good."

Yami rose, beginning to walk away. He stopped after only four steps and turned back.

Seto pulled back slightly, hoping he hadn't been seen. But the King of Games only smirked nastily at his lighter half. "We'll discuss this later." Turning, he walked away, not sparing him a second glance. Seto heard the door open and close.

And then the library returned to its eerie stillness.

For a moment, Seto didn't move. Then he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He felt lightheaded and sick; his stomach churned wildly, making him feel nauseous, and he felt hot and clammy. He bent over, closing his eyes, trying to breathe slowly, willing the nausea to pass.

He'd just seen Yugi get brutally beaten. No, not just beaten. _Abused._ By Yami. _Yami._ The infernal ex-pharaoh who was the poster child for every woman's idea of a Perfect Gentleman had just exhibited some of the worst cruelty that Seto had seen in a long time. And his victim had been the one he'd sworn to always protect. It _didn't make any sense!_

But what disturbed him the most was the utter lack of surprise on Yugi's face. This had clearly happened before. Seto recalled the bruises he'd seen on Yugi's wrist barely an hour ago, no longer sure that they'd been put there due to his own clumsiness.

He straightened, stomach still churning but feeling less lightheaded. He looked once again through the space on the bookshelf, his eyes snapping to the broken form on the ground.

Yugi lay where he had fallen, shaking still. He was crying, terrible sobs that sent shock waves through his entire body… but nearly soundless, making almost no noise at all. One arm was thrown over his head in a failed attempt to protect himself. The other hand was balled into a fist and shoved into his mouth, effectively muffling any sound he might make.

It was heartbreaking to watch. Seto's stomach twisted painfully. Anyone else would have rushed to his side. But Seto Kaiba was not the kind of man who walked over and gave someone a hug. He generally avoided physical human contact, his brother being the one exception. Thus, he found himself at a loss of what to do to help his miniature rival. His brain seemed to be moving at a snail's pace, barely able to function properly.

The bell rang, tearing the now-oppressive silence into shreds as it signaled the end of the period. Yugi stirred, slowly and painfully pulling himself to his feet, using the bookshelves as support. Immediately after straightening, however, he hunched over, agony written all over his face. Taking a few deep breaths, he stood a little straighter, wiped his face with his sleeve, and slowly shuffled down the aisle towards the exit. His steps were small and uneven, his bearing stooped and tense as though expecting another blow to come from nowhere.

Seto watched him go, feeling numb all over. Dimly, he wondered how long this had been happening, how long since Yami had turned from protector to tyrant, how long…

The click of the door closing seemed to kick his brain back into gear. Yugi was gone.

And he hadn't helped. He'd just _watched._

He cursed to himself, calling himself ten kinds of idiot in the most obscene ways he could think of, and ran to the door. He had to talk to Yugi; he _had_ to know how this had happened. Opening it, he looked frantically to the left and right, searching for the tiny duelist.

The halls were filled with students changing classes and there was no sign of a short, spiky head of hair anywhere. He was too late.

Sighing, he returned to his table to collect his work. He joined the throng in the hall, making his way to his next class… and trying to convince himself that Yugi was not his problem. However, even as he tried, a traitorous voice in his head wondered how many more beatings it would take before Yugi became permanently silent.


	4. Chapter 3 - Flickering

Trigger warnings: violence

* * *

 _He had resisted It at first. Even before he knew It was present in his mind and heart, and just considered It his own thoughts, he resisted. He'd feared It, but had fought. So typical of him._

 _But It had persisted. It insinuated, It snuck in ideas, It sent him dreams._

 _It laughed silently, malevolently reveling in the victory. He'd tried so hard to keep to the disgusting world of shadow - accepting both Light and Dark but preferring the Light in all its sickly brightness. But It had prevailed. He hadn't just submitted. He had accepted. He had turned. He was all Darkness now, and only a flicker of his subconscious cried against it._

* * *

Something was going on. Something very strange and very _wrong_ was going on, and Seto was determined to find out why.

It had been several days since the incident in the library, but Seto couldn't get it out of his head. He had never liked the former pharaoh; anyone with half a brain could see that. But as a gamer and a duelist, he respected him above all others. No one else, save for Yugi, could strategize on the fly like he could; no one else stayed calm in the face of insults and retained his honor even against the most crooked of opponents.

Seto couldn't stand his attitude, and he _really_ couldn't stand that he had still failed to best him in a match, but he respected him nonetheless. He was, however infuriatingly, always honest and honorable.

Or so it seemed.

Stalking down the hall on yet another exasperating school day, he felt sure that there was an alternate reality happening beneath the surface. He had kept a surreptitious eye out for both spiky-haired duelists since that day, not following either one, merely observing. Surely, there were signs of Yami's cruelty outside of that incident…

But no, the King of Games acted as he always did: calm, respectful, honorable to a fault, laughing with his friends and never being too busy to talk to an admirer. The same irritating smirk, the same serious frown when something bothered him, the same commanding aura. There was no sign of the abusive bully at all.

That is, not unless one looked very closely.

Yugi, Seto had discovered, had become very good at being invisible. With a head of hair like his, he would've thought it would be difficult… but no, somehow, he was easily overlooked. Seto had nearly tripped over him twice in the crush of students changing classes simply because he hadn't seen him. It definitely didn't help that he was so short, that was certain. But he slouched, head down, weaving through students and dodging others who, like Seto, didn't see him and nearly tripped over him.

In class, he sat in the back, completely silent, unless the teacher called on him directly; even then, his voice never reached past a half-whisper. Generally, he was alone, though every once in awhile, Téa or Joey would greet him in the hall, and he would wave back, or be friendly to any given classmate when addressed. That was usually when Yami wasn't around to capture the spotlight.

While Yugi's behavior was decidedly odd, and _very_ unlike the Yugi he had come to know, it merely gave the impression that he was quiet, shy, and used to being a loner. Not particularly happy, but not very unhappy, either.

It was when the two of them came within sight of each other that the signs made themselves clear.

They had different class schedules, so their paths crossed more often in the hallway than the classroom – as Seto's own did; he was in every advanced program the school could offer, after all. Any time Yami passed him by, Yugi would get tense and his expression would turn guarded and nervous. If Yami didn't look at him, he would relax after a moment or two. If Yami glanced at him, however… the look was usually menacing, and Yugi would drop his gaze instantly and appear to shrink into himself as though to appear smaller, hurrying past.

There was one incident where a classmate had asked Yugi a question in the hall, and Yugi was answering when Yami passed him by. Seto had seen Yami's face darken, and he glared at Yugi as though he was doing something offensive. Seto hadn't seen Yugi's reaction, but he did notice that he was limping very slightly the next day.

Yes, the signs were there… but only because he was looking for them. To almost anyone else, they were too small to notice, mere seconds – or fractions of a second – where it was more obvious. Another unpleasant fact that helped disguise what was going on was that Yugi had picked up one or two "admirers" of his own… admirers that were several times his size and not known for their manners. Seto had discovered that little detail when he had left some notes in the library, and took a slightly different route than he usually did when returning for them.

He wasn't sure why he was keeping tabs on them. Maybe it was to prove that what happened in the library wasn't some weird hallucination. Maybe he was just curious. It wasn't like he cared enough to do anything… but if Yami was truly abusing Yugi, it certainly changed what he thought about him. Especially with Yugi's grandfather having passed on some time ago; Yami was his only family.

Seto had seen kids at the orphanage who had come from abusive families, and he still remembered the haunted look in their eyes, how they flinched from any potential touch, even friendly ones. He had experienced abuse himself, while under Gozaboro's thumb; he had foolishly thought he'd succeeded in pulling himself and Mokuba into a good life, but had quickly learned otherwise. Surviving that, and keeping Mokuba from experiencing it himself, was perhaps his greatest accomplishment.

It had taken every ounce of his own cunning to overthrow his adopted "father," and he had known even then that his was an exceptionally unusual case. He had no respect for people who hurt those they were supposed to protect… especially because their victims had no way of fighting back until someone pulled them out.

He also had no respect for someone who hid his true nature so completely that he had the world fooled.

Seto Kaiba did _not_ like being fooled.

Thus, he kept an eye out. He watched Yugi grow paler and thinner as the days passed, shuffling to class as though it cost him effort. He watched Yami's looks become more and more predatory, though he kept his façade solidly in place.

He knew deep in his gut that something _was_ going to happen. He just didn't know _what_.

* * *

 _Why did he want to be tethered to a weak half-life of shadow? Why depend on the Light? He should be his own self, his own dark self, free of the weak, disgusting brightness that threatened Its existence._

 _The Light was weak. The Light was unnecessary and unwanted. He ought to snuff it out, take command of his own existence. Absorb the Light. Become whole. Then destroy it._

 _He had taken persuasion. But his acceptance… oh, his acceptance had been glorious when it had finally come. That moment of pure darkness overcoming him was something It would savor for the rest of eternity. Now his will and Its were the same._

 _Extinguish the Light._

* * *

Seto breathed a small sigh of relief as he stepped outside.

He hated having to do it, but it was necessary to show his appreciation for his most prominent stockholders. Thus, he'd found himself not at home, preparing to turn in for the night, but at a classy, dimly lit restaurant, buttoned into a very uncomfortable tuxedo and listening to some of the most boring stories he'd heard outside the classroom.

Who ever knew that adults could be even more unbearable than his teenage classmates? He almost preferred listening to Joey Wheeler babble on about food.

It had taken every ounce of his self-restraint not to snarl at the lot of them that they were wasting his time. That, coupled with the tight collar of his tux, had made him feel stifled, almost suffocated. Thankfully, however, the evening had finally drawn to a close and he could breathe fresh air again. He pulled off his bow tie and shoved it ungracefully into his pocket, unbuttoning the top of his shirt to allow himself more breathing room.

A discreet cough made him turn. "Sir…" Roland began, no doubt wondering why Seto was just standing there. "Your car…" He gestured to the open limousine that was waiting.

Seto looked at the car and instantly decided that he'd had enough of dim, cramped spaces for the time being. "Actually, I'm going to be walking for a few blocks," he said crisply. "After the suffocating ignorance I had to deal with in there, I could use some fresh air."

Roland nodded, unfazed. "Very well then, sir," he said. "Would you like us to drive ahead or shall we follow you?"

Seto considered for a moment. "Go on ahead, but not too far," he said. "I'll call if I change my mind." He indicated the lapel of his tux, which hid a tiny transmitter he could use to speak directly to Roland. Although he was more than capable of taking care of himself, occasionally the need arose for some extra protection. Roland's physique appeared average, but the man was highly trained and provided all the protection he could ask for.

He turned and walked in the direction of his home, unhurried, taking in the sights of the old-fashioned streets. This was an old section of town, built a couple of centuries ago, and it housed an eclectic assortment of boutiques, restaurants, bars and entrepreneurial shops. It was past midnight, and most of the restaurants and businesses were closed. Almost no one was on the streets, though that was probably because today was a weeknight. On the weekends, he knew, this area teemed with life until the wee hours of the morning.

He much preferred it in its current state.

The limo cruised by him, slowing to a crawl when it reached two blocks' distance. Close, but not too close. Seto mentally approved. The cool, crisp evening air was working wonders on him; he felt himself relax as he ambled past narrow side streets and old-fashioned storefronts.

A noise distracted him. He stopped, listening out of curiosity.

A couple of steps and a soft, muffled thud reached his ears and he turned. Immediately to his right was a tiny alley that ran between two large buildings to a parallel avenue, no doubt leading to the back entrances used for staff and deliveries. Very little light penetrated it; only the street lamp over his head illuminated a mere few feet at its entrance.

It was the perfect place, he realized, for someone to get mugged. Or worse.

As if echoing his thoughts, a low, threatening growl filtered through the gloom. Seto stepped back and to the side, pressing his back against the storefront, peering around the corner, trying to see what was going on. If it was a gang fight, he didn't want to be involved. If it was something else…

Movement caught his eye; as his sight adjusted to the dimness, he made out two forms partway down the alley. One had the other pinned to the wall in a position that made Seto's stomach twist as he recalled a similar vision from a few weeks ago.

It looked very familiar. _Too_ familiar. In fact, he could see that at least one of the figures had spiky hair…

A snarl and an oath reached his ears and the taller figure yanked the smaller away from the wall, only to drag him down towards Seto a few paces and slam him against the wall again. Those few steps made the forms clear to him, and he swallowed hard.

Yami. And Yugi. Again. But what in the seven hells were they _doing_ _here_?

"Poor little _partner_ ," Yami's snarl was almost a hiss. "So _weak_ , so _pathetic_ … and yet you still stand in my way…"

He brought his other arm to Yugi's cheek almost gently, and Seto realized in shock that there was something sharp in his hand.

A knife.

It pierced Yugi's skin, drawing blood. Yugi responded with a flinch; his arms hung limply at his sides and it looked like he could barely raise his head. But Seto saw him look up at the former spirit, a plea for mercy in his eyes.

"My _lighter half_ ," Yami spat, sounding disgusted. "Hmph. But you will stand against me no longer," he sneered. "There's not a soul who will save you, not a soul who will care… and finally I'll be free…"

He raised his arm high, holding the knife aloft, and Seto realized, horror-struck, what he was about to do.

He couldn't stand and watch, not this time.

He dove forward, hurling himself at the pair as the knife slashed downward–

He collided with Yami, his momentum sending both of them to the ground. Yami had let go of Yugi, landing facedown.

Seto moved faster than he had ever before in his life, adrenaline pumping through him. Jumping to his feet, he grabbed the back of Yami's jacket, hauling him up before he even had a chance to twitch. He slammed him into the wall headfirst. Once. Twice.

The shorter duelist went slack in his grip and he knew he'd taken him out of commission. He dropped the unconscious form unceremoniously, watching for a second or two to make sure he wasn't getting up again. Satisfied, he turned back, rushing to Yugi, who was slumped against the wall.

He'd been in time. The knife lay on the ground some feet away, undoubtedly dropped when Seto had run into the former pharaoh. There were bloodstains on Yugi's clothing, however - a telling sign that the knife had been used before Seto had arrived. Yugi himself was unmoving.

Seto shoved a finger into his lapel. "Roland," he snapped, not bothering to be polite, "get here _now_." Not waiting for a response, he pressed it again and knelt in front of the form opposite him.

Yugi's eyes were closed. Seto placed his hand near his mouth and nose, relieved beyond belief when he felt a faint breath on his fingers. He was alive. Seto guessed that he'd passed out, having just stared death in the face.

He couldn't leave him here. Not like this.

Seto shrugged out of his jacket. Gently, he placed it around Yugi's shoulders, maneuvering the duelist's limp form a bit to do so. Yugi flinched at his touch, and Seto looked at his face sharply, checking to see if he'd come out of his coma-like state. No, he was still unconscious. A reflex action, then. He pulled the jacket closed, hoping he wasn't hurting Yugi further.

It completely dwarfed him. He shifted very slightly, seeming to huddle into the warmth the jacket offered. Gods, he was _tiny_. Not that Seto had never observed that before; Yugi barely reached his chest standing at his full height. But crumpled like this, practically drowning in Seto's evening jacket…just made him seem even smaller.

He looked up at the sound of his limo pulling up hurriedly to the alley's entrance. Roland jumped out of the car, looking relieved when he saw that Seto wasn't hurt.

"Mr. Kaiba, what is–" he gasped when his eyes fell on Yugi. "What _happened_?"

Seto carefully wrapped his arms around the tiny form and stood, cradling Yugi in his arms and noting that he weighed barely anything. "I'll explain in the car," he said shortly, striding towards the sleek black vehicle. "Right now, we need to get him some help. Call my personal physician and tell him to get to the house as fast as he can."

Roland opened the door for him, nodding. "Yes, sir… We aren't taking Mr. Mutou home, then?"

Seto snorted. He jerked his head back towards the alley as he stepped into the car. "Look in there again, Roland. Home is the most dangerous place to take him right now."

 _And knowing Yami, he'd find a way to get into the hospital even if I expressly tell the staff not to let him through, or even list Yugi under a pseudonym,_ he thought. _Better to hide him as best I can. The less he knows of his whereabouts, the better._

Roland glanced back at the alley and then stepped into the passenger's seat of the limo. "Back to the house, as fast as we can push it," he said to the driver, and they sped off into the night.


	5. Chapter 4 - Veiled

_...It had failed._

 _How had It failed? HOW COULD IT HAVE FAILED? It had planned so carefully...and yet something had thwarted It at the last minute._

 _It raged._

 _The Light was not destroyed._

 _But It would find him._

* * *

They stood in Seto's home office, the most private place in the house. "You should get some sleep," the doctor told him, his expression stern. "It's been a long night for you, and I know how often you get a good night's rest."

Seto snorted as the doctor turned to leave. "Just do what you can for him," he said.

The doctor paused. "He's out cold, Mr. Kaiba," he said quietly. "I've taken care of the worst of his injuries, and he didn't even stir during the stitches. If he doesn't wake up in the next few hours, I'll have to declare him comatose. The most I can do right now is make sure he doesn't develop a fever."

Seto nodded curtly. "Then do so. And report to me the moment something changes."

"Yes, sir," the physician replied, heading for the door. "And you really _should_ get some rest," he added, though his tone was resigned; he knew perfectly well that Seto had no intention of obeying.

 _Sleep,_ he thought derisively. _Sleep, when I just had to wash blood off my hands..._ literally _. When one of my greatest dueling rivals is lying in a guest bedroom, barely alive_.

Barely alive…and showing every sign of long-term, harsh physical abuse, according to his doctor. He swallowed, for once regretting his desire to know every detail of every situation. The rundown of Yugi's injuries – old as well as recent – was fairly gruesome. It was a wonder he was able to stand up at all.

Seto dropped into his chair, leaning on his desk and resting his head in his hands. He was, admittedly, exhausted. It was well past 4 AM, he had been up since 5 o'clock the previous morning, and the evening's events had taken more of a mental toll on him than he cared to admit.

But that was _precisely_ why he couldn't sleep. When he closed his eyes, he saw the knife slashing down with the intent to kill, the crumpled form of Yugi Mutou in front of him, bleeding, dwarfed by Seto's jacket.

It wasn't exactly something he could relax to.

And then there was him. Yami. Atem. Why he had chosen to be called Darkness instead of his true Egyptian name was beyond Seto's comprehension, but now he wondered if there was a significance to it – other than he and Yugi apparently being light and dark halves of each other. They had tried to explain it to him, after that incredibly tense duel down in that tomb, but it still boggled his mind.

Had it started then?

Yugi had just barely won, and tearfully wished him well, and Atem had smiled and said that if the gods would allow it, he would prefer to stay with Yugi, as light and dark halves of each other. And the gods had not only granted it, but allowed Atem to retain his identity _and his own body_ , something that seemed too good to be true.

Furthermore, while the look on everyone's face was that of joy, none surpassed the pure elation that shone on Yugi's. He had thrown his arms around his counterpart; they'd clung to each other for a nauseating few moments. It seemed to be a perfect, cheesy Hollywood ending, the kind that usually made him want to be sick.

No, it hadn't started then. It was clear to everyone that the two cared deeply for each other.

So what had changed? In the eighteen months since that day, what had changed? How could the being that apparently saved the world go from benevolent protector to raging, abusive tyrant? And how was it that no one noticed; how could he keep up the guise of honor and respect so completely that everyone was blinded to the violence he inflicted on his supposed 'partner'?

He groaned. He was getting a headache. There was a piece missing to this puzzle, a huge piece that he wasn't sure could be found.

A knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" he said, raising his head.

His physician hurried in, looking both relieved and sad. "He's awake, Mr. Kaiba. He's awake and his brain seems to be functioning normally."

Seto let out a breath. "That is good news," he said. "But something's bothering you. Does he have a fever?"

"No, sir, he appears to be all right… well, as all right as can be expected," he amended. "However…you will have to be careful around him, sir. He is…very frightened."

"Hmph," Seto could not help snorting. "He was almost killed by someone he once trusted, Doctor. I wouldn't blame him."

"No, sir, not in that sense. The abuse he has incurred has done psychological damage, which is normal, but nevertheless very sad. He flinches at any sign of touch, even if one's hand is too far away to do so. He would not speak to me; he looked frightened when I asked if he would say something." Seto grimaced, remembering a harsh voice snarling at Yugi to shut up when he wasn't making a sound. "You will have to be very careful. Keep your distance. Don't get aggravated if he won't speak. Keep your movements slow."

Seto nodded, standing. "Then, I take it I can see him?"

"If you wish."

"Very good. If you would like to rest, you may do so. Your room is the green one across from Yugi's; I've had your things placed there."

"Thank you, Mr. Kaiba. I will need to keep an eye on him for at least the next few days."

Seto nodded acknowledgement as he left. He strode down the hall towards Yugi's room. He wasn't entirely sure why he wanted to see his rival. If his personal physician had said he would be fine, he would be fine. He trusted him to be truthful. However…it would probably help his exhausted mind to see Yugi alive and alert before he tried to sleep, rather than comatose and barely breathing.

The door lay ajar, no doubt so that any sound of distress could be heard. At the moment, all was silent. He entered.

Yugi was sitting up slightly, resting against numerous pillows, in the same position he'd been in when Seto had left him in the care of his doctor. Seto had deliberately placed him in this room; it was the lightest, brightest guest room he had, with light gray walls and rich mahogany furniture. He somehow knew instinctively that Yugi would prefer light to dark.

He was indeed awake, his eyes taking in his surroundings with a puzzled look on his face. Upon Seto's entry, however, his eyes snapped to him immediately, his entire body tensing, his expression fearful.

The doctor hadn't been exaggerating.

"So, you're awake," Seto said, keeping his tone casual, as though he was about to discuss a duel tournament or some such thing. The fear seemed to recede a bit, and Yugi nodded. Seto walked to a plush gray armchair that sat against the closest wall, near to Yugi's bed but far enough away to be non-threatening, and sat, regarding his tiny rival.

He looked terrible. While he rested comfortably in the double bed, a nightstand sat beside it with a small lamp on it that illuminated his face, throwing the patched-up cuts and bruises on it into harsh relief. He was gaunt and deathly pale, no doubt from blood loss, and the bandages on his arms – and the splint on his left wrist – did not disguise the fact that he was little more than skin and bone.

Seto couldn't tell whether the weight loss was due to stress or deliberate deprivation. Possibly it was both. He also couldn't tell whether the dark circles under his eyes were natural or more evidence of abuse. He wasn't sure whether he _wanted_ to know.

A thought occurred to him. Yugi had passed out...

"What's the last thing you remember?"

It was out of his mouth before he remembered that Yugi wasn't talking. He remained quiet, though, gauging his reaction. Sure enough, the fear on his face spiked; Yami had clearly ground the notion into him that speaking would earn physical punishment, even if he was asked a direct question. For a moment, though, he seemed to struggle with himself. Then he took a breath.

"I-I…" he whispered, faltering when his voice caught. His hands clutched the comforter beneath them, his entire figure tensing as though he expected Seto to hit him right then and there. "I-I remember…an alley. It was dark…and Y-Yami…he…he had a knife… He w-was…going to…" He stopped, his eyes tightly shut as though to ward off what he'd seen, trembling slightly.

Seto decided to help him finish. "He was going to kill you," he said quietly, his stomach doing an unpleasant flop as he once again remembered the knife swooping towards its target.

Yugi dropped his gaze to the duvet and nodded. "I…I don't remember after…j-just the knife…?" He faltered again, looking slightly bewildered. Seto understood.

"I was walking by and saw you," he explained. "I knocked him off you before he could kill you." He smirked at the memory. "The bastard didn't even know what hit him. I doubt he even saw me before I got him. Then I brought you here, but you were completely out of it."

He _really_ shouldn't feel so satisfied about slamming his rival – who was half his size – into a wall, but he wasn't particularly inclined to feel remorse at the moment.

Yugi's head shot up and he stared at him, surprise and something akin to wonder playing across his face. What, was he surprised Seto had helped him? Seto frowned; what kind of person did Yugi take him for?

"I don't condone murder, Yugi. I was _not_ about to stand by and watch someone get killed. By someone who's supposed to protect him, no less," he added, trying not to let his anger show.

Yugi flinched, and his gaze returned to the comforter. He opened his mouth as though to say something, and closed it again.

Seto decided to ask the question that had been bothering him since that day in the library.

"How long?" he asked softly, in an attempt to keep Yugi calm. "How long has he been hurting you like this?"

Yugi's shoulders drooped, and Seto could have sworn he heard a barely audible sob. "I…I don't know." He had to strain to hear him now. "It st-started…small. A-almost…a year ago? I don't… I don't remember. I th-thought…" here he sobbed softly again, "it was just…a f-fluke. Th-that I deserved it, but…but it g-got worse and worse…" His bangs hid his face, but Seto saw his shoulders shake.

He wasn't sure what to say for a moment, but the inevitable question arose in his mind.

"So why didn't you tell anyone? He's been abusing you for a _year_ , and you never said anything?"

Yugi sighed softly, sniffling a little. "Kaiba… who would have believed me?"

...He had a point. Until Seto had seen it with his own eyes, he had never even _suspected_ that something was going on. Yami was the last person on earth who anyone would suspect of hurting someone for no reason.

Suddenly, his exhaustion seemed to overwhelm his mind. He had been awake for over 24 hours now, after all, and while he had gone multiple nights without much sleep before, they usually didn't involve preventing murder. He stood, Yugi's head rising to watch him warily, tears visible in his eyes. Seto found himself pitying him, a strange emotion for him.

"You are safe here, you know," Seto said awkwardly. He never was much good at comforting someone, even his little brother. "I doubt Yami even saw me coming; he was still unconscious when we brought you here. I don't trust hospitals' security, but I designed the security for this house myself. And my staff has been made aware that he is not to be allowed inside this place under any circumstances, and that your presence here is to be kept secret. You can stay as long as you need to."

Surprise flickered across Yugi's face yet again. And gratitude.

"Thank you, Kaiba," he whispered.

Seto nodded in response. Then, he headed to his own bedroom, where he allowed himself to collapse onto his bed without even removing his shoes.

His last thought before succumbing to sleep was that there was no way this would be over anytime soon.

* * *

 _It raged._

 _Not only had the Light survived, he had vanished._

 _It had expected him to come crawling home, or show up in a hospital bed, an easy target._

 _But he had vanished._

 _No matter. It was furious at Its failure… but It would find the Light in due time._

* * *

Normally, after a night with so much excitement and so little sleep, Seto would have skipped school the next day and slept in. He'd had to skip before for corporate meetings or events plenty of times, and he was so advanced that his teachers never disciplined him for it; they knew he'd catch up quickly… if he even needed to catch up at all.

But today, he was genuinely wondering if Yami would show up… and if he did, how he would react to Seto. He was a good actor, of course, but Seto had become used to reading his split-second reactions. It would be the only way to see if Yami knew who had interfered with his murder plan that didn't involve Seto himself breaking cover.

Still, though… his head was pounding and even an extra cup of strong coffee didn't help too much. It wouldn't be a fun day.

He made sure Mokuba understood the situation while they ate, before he left. His brother's face went from horror-struck to very grave as he told a very short version of the story.

"He's like those kids from the orphanage, isn't he? The ones who didn't want to be touched because their parents always hurt them?"

"Yes, exactly," Seto sighed. "You can see him, Mokuba, but be quiet and careful. If he's sleeping, let him sleep and wait until you're back from school."

Mokuba nodded. "But Seto," he said quietly, "How can you keep this secret? Yami has to face justice for this. And Yugi can't stay here forever…"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Seto admitted. "I don't know if Yugi would be up to that. Right now, it's my word against Yami's, and even with Yugi's injuries… he's been bullied before. It'd be easy to lay the blame on that. We'd need concrete proof, and I highly doubt Yugi would want to stand against his partner anyway."

"Hm," Mokuba mused, not looking particularly happy. "So I guess we wait and see for now?"

"For now," Seto agreed. "Believe me, Mokuba, I have no intention of letting Yami get away with this. But we can't act yet. We have to keep this secret and let Yugi heal at the very least. Okay?"

Mokuba nodded solemnly. "I can't believe it, honestly," he said, as Seto stood up to go. "It's just… of all the people to hurt someone like that…"

"I know," Seto said flatly. "I can't get my head around it, either. I don't know what's wrong with him, but I'd like to find out."

Abruptly, his little brother got up and hugged him tightly. "Be careful, Big Brother," he said. "Okay?"

Seto squeezed back briefly, then ruffled his hair before disentangling himself. "Okay."

He considered his options on his ride over to the school. His best bet was to act as though all was normal, of course… but going forward, things would get harder.

Yugi's disappearance would be noticed. Yami's reaction - or lack thereof - to that disappearance would be noticed. The longer Yugi stayed hidden, the more complicated things would get… but it would also, no doubt, start drawing out Yami's true colors. He was not a person used to being constantly thwarted, and Seto had every confidence that he, his brother, and his staff could keep Yugi's location secret for at least a good while.

What would happen if the pharaoh couldn't find him, couldn't carry out his murder plan the way he wanted?

Seto would have said that Yami had gone insane, but he was far too smart and too in control of himself. His actions were those of a calculating, cold-blooded killer, not someone on a crazed rampage. But even the most intelligent serial killers made mistakes when they got frustrated.

Usually, Seto was a man of action. But this time, he'd wait.

He'd always hated waiting. But this was like a chess game, not a duel, he thought to himself. To capture the king took slow, careful, methodical steps and smart maneuvering.

Ironically, he nearly knocked the King of Games over almost as soon as he got to school.

Rounding a corner on his way to class, the short former pharaoh was talking to Téa and Joey while not looking where he was going, and they nearly collided. Seto just barely managed to stop in time.

"Hey," he snapped, as Yami cut himself short and stumbled, trying to simultaneously avoid crashing into Seto and finish his sentence. "Too important to watch where you're going, King of Games?"

Yami glowered up at him, though not looking any more annoyed than usual. "I could say the same for you, Kaiba," he snapped back. Seto noticed with a certain degree of satisfaction that Yami had an enormous lump on his forehead, surrounded by considerable bruising.

"What the hell happened to your head, pharaoh?" he sneered. "Wheeler elbow you while shoveling food into his face?"

Joey growled, about to shout something, but Yami quieted him with a hand on his arm. "Actually, Kaiba, Yugi and I were mugged last night," he said quietly, the very picture of dignity in the face of insult. "He got the worst of it and is home, and both of our wallets were emptied, but we're fine otherwise. Thank you for your _concern._ "

"Hmph. Take your cheerleading squad for protection next time," Seto shrugged, feigning indifference. "Now if you'll excuse me…" he pushed past them and headed for his first class.

"Hey!" Téa shouted after him. "Would it kill you to be considerate for once?!"

"Don't bother, Téa," Yami said, sounding resigned. "It's fine."

Seto smirked to himself but quickly got engrossed in his own thoughts as he sat down. He never paid attention in homeroom anyway.

So, his story was that they were out walking and were robbed and mugged. A little cliché, but simple enough. More importantly, however, it was a story that would only work in the short term… which meant that either Yami thought he knew where Yugi was, which was doubtful, or expected to find him fairly quickly.

If it was the latter, he was in for a rude awakening.

His problem was the same as Seto's: the longer Yugi remained missing, the more complicated things would get.

The former pharaoh hadn't reacted any differently to Seto than normal, even for a fraction of a second. He'd keep tabs on him as usual… but it was a good sign that he was none the wiser. Seto had to keep himself from smiling, envisioning himself slapping the timer next to a chessboard.

 _I've made my move, pharaoh, and you don't even know it,_ he thought. _Your turn. Take your time._


	6. Chapter 5 - Shadows

_The Light was not usually elusive. Usually Light burned its way through Darkness for all to see._

 _But It was thwarted at every attempt It had made to find this Light. And the pharaoh's friends were beginning to notice the Light's absence; it had taken more of Its power than usual to keep them oblivious._

 _It could not draw the Light out with threats to blood kin, either; It had disposed of the Light's elder long before._

 _Very well, then. So be it. It would drag the Light into Shadow first, despite Its hatred of that place. Let the Light's pathetically weak mortal mind elude It there!_

* * *

Darkness surrounded him. All he could see were vague patches of color every so often; all deep, muted hues that gave neither light nor any indication of depth. It was as though he was standing in a cloud of deepest night, with no visible floor or ceiling.

A prickle in the back of his skull told him that he had seen this kind of darkness before.

He took a step. Oddly, the ground beneath him seemed solid… though there was no discernible ground to speak of. However, he was not about to stand around and do nothing. Seto Kaiba was a man of action, not idleness. And definitely not fear.

Definitely not.

He took another step, then another. Slowly, he walked through the gloom, looking left and right warily for any sign of life. He wondered if he was dreaming. If he was, it was a really boring dream. He glowered, wondering why he would dream about something that was such a ridiculous waste of time.

A noise filtered through the darkness. It sounded like a strange cry, but muffled, as though he was hearing it through water. He couldn't tell whether it was distressed or not. Curious, he decided to check it out.

The thought had barely left his head when he felt himself moving. He was being pulled, skimming gently over the ground – or what he perceived to be the ground – and he somehow knew instinctively that he was being brought to the being that had made the sound. He steeled himself for a fight, in case the thing wasn't friendly.

Light up ahead. A light…no, a spot of illumination, allowing him to see the being he had so curiously (and stupidly, a part of his brain told him) sought out. It was two beings, actually…both small, one curled up on the ground, the other standing over him. Yugi…and Yami. Again.

Seto wondered irritably why he would dream about the pair of them now; his dreams about ancient Egypt had long stopped. He realized that he had stopped moving, standing outside the illuminated circle, observing without being seen. Yami was, unsurprisingly, glaring down at his lighter half with a murderous snarl on his face. What did surprise him was that Yugi was lifting his head to glare right back. There was fear in his eyes… but somehow, he held his ground. He was uninjured; his wrist was healed and his face full and healthy. Yami, for his part, had no bruising on his face.

"I tire of your insolence," Yami growled. "I gave you the chance to make this easy… now suffer the consequences!" He raised his hands and a strange cord that looked like a cross between a whip and a rose vine snaked out of nowhere, shooting towards the smaller duelist, wrapping around his wrists and lifting him up into the air. Yugi's face twisted in pain, struggling as the rose thorns dug into his skin, though curiously, no blood flowed.

Seto realized that the rope – no, the _whip_ – looked familiar. In fact, he had seen it before. However, it was usually wielded by a Harpie, not acting on its own. And that knowledge alone told him where he was.

He was in the Shadow Realm. But that made no sense; if that embodiment of Darkness, or whatever it was that Yami had fought, was defeated for good, then shouldn't the Shadow Realm be gone as well? And why would he _dream_ his way there?

Yami's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Now then," he smirked nastily at Yugi, who stopped struggling. "How…" he brought his face within inches of his lighter half's, who flinched, "…did you survive?"

Yugi kept silent.

Yami's glare intensified. "Where are you now? Who _dared_ give a pathetic shit like you shelter?" His voice was a demonic snarl now. "I _command_ you to answer!"

Yugi was visibly shaking, but he opened his eyes. "I…don't…know," he rasped out through gritted teeth.

"Bullshit," snapped Yami. The Rose Whip tightened its grip.

"I don't… _know_ ," Yugi gasped, sweat forming on his brow. "But if…I did…I wouldn't…tell…anyway." Seto realized with a jolt that Yugi was trying to protect him. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.

"Wouldn't you, now," the former pharaoh mused, his smirk returning. He placed two fingers under Yugi's chin, forcing his head up, and his gaze met Yami's, now a deep, chilling red. "My dear partner, you are a terrible liar." Yugi swallowed, but remained silent.

They stayed that way for a moment, terrified but determined violet meeting dark and malicious crimson. Then Yami broke the silence.

"You dare," he said quietly, danger leaking out of every syllable, "look _me_ in the eye?"

Violet eyes widened. Yami stepped back, allowing Yugi's head to drop once more. He raised one arm as if summoning a monster, and a giant ball of flame scorched its way through the gloom, appearing out of nowhere, striking the tiny figure in front of him.

Yugi screamed in agony as the fireball engulfed him, burning him for several seconds that felt more like several minutes. _Hinotama_ , a small voice in the rational part of Seto's mind whispered. _That card's illegal in tournaments. They don't HAVE any illegal cards…do they?_ Then again, neither of them actually possessed the Rose Whip card either, to his knowledge. Perhaps what was in your deck didn't matter in the Shadow Realm.

The fireball disappeared, leaving Yugi crumpled in a smoking heap on the ground, his shirt half-burned away, the inferno having burned away the Rose Whip as well.

Yami smiled as though he had seen a well-performed circus act.

"I do hope that's helped…drive the point home, so to speak," he remarked almost amiably. "Care to tell me where you are now, _partner_?" The last word was little more than a hiss.

Yugi took a shuddering breath and murmured something inaudible to Seto's ears. He swallowed, thinking that Yugi was giving in, and that he had better wake up soon to come up with a plan of action. He was more than capable of keeping an unwanted stranger out of his house, but this whole Shadow Realm thing put things into a different light.

"Didn't catch that, partner," Yami sneered.

Yugi murmured something unintelligible again, but this time, he raised his head. Determination shone through the fear, and Seto saw another fireball appear out of nowhere. Instead of hitting Yugi, however, it rocketed towards the former pharaoh, striking him so hard, he fell back. Yami howled in pain and fury, and Yugi struggled to his feet. As the fire dissipated, he spoke.

"Hurt m-me…" he rasped, "all you want. B-but I won't let you…hurt anyone else."

Yami was bent over, gasping in pain. At Yugi's words, he raised his head, murder written all over his face.

"I can do that," he snarled.

He waved an arm up and out, as though throwing a ball. Instead of a ball appearing, however, a chain appeared, shooting towards the smaller duelist and wrapping itself tightly around him, pinning his arms to his sides and dragging him to the ground. Yugi struggled, but the chain only tightened, one end wrapping itself around his neck.

Yami advanced, looking more like a demon than ever, his clothes smoking, his eyes glowing a furious crimson.

"You," he spat out angrily, "have resisted me for the last time." He glared down at his struggling lighter half. "I can kill you right here, _other self_. A body without a soul will not last long… though _this_ method wouldn't be as...entertaining." Yugi stopped struggling and stared up at his murderous other half, terror shining in his eyes.

Seto glared at Yami, his brain working furiously. He had to _do something_ ; he was not about to let his efforts over the past couple of weeks to keep Yugi hidden and safe go to waste because of some freak show in the Shadow Realm. He'd just seen both Yugi and Yami call forth things associated with Duel Monsters. Rose Whip. Hinotama. Kunai with Chain. But he had no idea how to _do_ it. And he only had one chance; if he called out to summon something, they would know he was there.

And if he failed, he had a feeling that Yami wouldn't spare him.

"Dark Magician, come forth!" Yami cried suddenly. The darkness rippled, parting to reveal a very familiar purple-clad spellcaster.

"Master," it – he? – said, bowing. "I am ready to serve."

"Good," Yami nodded curtly. He pointed at the beaten figure behind the spellcaster. "Kill him."

 _Is that all it is?_ Seto wondered. _Call its name as if this was a normal game of Duel Monsters?_

The magician turned, raising his staff. Yugi stared at him, tears in his eyes, something akin to betrayal on his face. Seto understood… and he also understood why Yami had chosen this particular monster. It was Yugi's favorite… and what crueler way to shred your partner's soul than with the monster he liked best?

 ** _Master_ **, a voice sounded in his head suddenly. He looked around wildly, wondering where it had come from… and why it sounded so familiar.

The Dark Magician stopped short, staring at the crumpled figure below him. "…Master?" he asked uncertainly, and Seto wasn't sure whether he was talking to Yugi or Yami.

"D-dark Magician," Yugi managed to wheeze through the chain crushing his windpipe. "Please…" The magician lowered his staff.

"Do it!" Yami snarled.

"Master…my pharaoh, he is your counterpart," the magician said, turning back to him, looking troubled. "Why do you wish to harm him so?"

 _He serves two masters,_ Seto thought suddenly, comprehension dawning. _Yugi is just as important as Yami is to him_. If he could just figure out how to…

 ** _Master, all you need to do is call my name, and I will come_** , the voice, female and strong, whispered in his mind. And suddenly, Seto knew what he had to do.

"That is none of your concern," Yami yelled, clearly out of patience. " _Do as I command!_ "

" _Blue-Eyes, come forth_!" Seto yelled at the same time. He felt a surge of energy in his mind, and watched with wide eyes as the darkness rippled once again. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon – _his_ Blue-Eyes – roared as it appeared, powerful and magnificent, soaring over Seto's head and landing within the circle of light. Yami, Yugi and the Dark Magician stared at it in shock. Yami whipped his head around, looking for the person who had summoned it, but he was looking in the wrong direction.

The Dark Magician, however, turned and gazed at Seto. There was sadness in his eyes, and he lowered his staff, inclining his head. And Seto knew what he was asking him to do.

"Blue-Eyes, destroy the Dark Magician _and_ his master!" He swung his arm out, pointing at Yami, who whipped around and finally saw him.

" _Kaiba_ ," he growled, starting forward… but it was too late. The Blue-Eyes roared, shaking Seto's very bones with the force of the sound, and attacked. The Dark Magician bowed his head in gratitude, disintegrating as the lighting blast struck him. Yami flew backward from the shock of the impact, out of the light, and disappeared into the darkness.

Seto started forward, not believing for a minute that Yami was truly gone. He glared at the spot where he'd vanished, waiting for him to jump back out.

 ** _Master,_ **the Blue-Eyes said, **_He is gone. Still alive, but no longer in the Shadows._**

He turned to her. "Thank you," he said quietly. She truly was more majestic in her real form than in his holograms. A part of his mind made a note to fix that. She nodded her great head in reply.

A cough distracted him. Looking around the dragon, he saw Yugi, no longer tethered to the ground, struggling to rise. Seto strode to him, blinking as he entered the circle of light. Yugi looked up, the same wariness on his face as always, but he stared at the dragon in open-mouthed wonder.

 ** _Have no fear, young Light,_ **the dragon spoke gently, and somehow Seto knew that Yugi could hear her, too. **_I will not harm you._** She followed Seto, settling into a protective crouch behind him and Yugi. Seto knelt, gently helping Yugi sit up.

"How…how did you get here?" Yugi asked softly, wincing as Seto touched a particularly nasty burn. The dragon shifted closer, allowing Yugi to lean against her.

"I was about to ask you the same question," Seto said dryly. "Wasn't this whole place supposed to have disappeared?"

Yugi frowned. "Y-you're right…" he trailed off, looking around. "Yami brought me here…once before…but it should've been destroyed when Zorc was defeated…"

 ** _If the Shadow Realm survives, some part of the Lord of Darkness survives as well_** , the Blue-Eyes said, her tone somber. **_This does not bode well._**

They stayed silent for a moment. Seto had a good idea _who_ had helped Zorc survive, but it still made no sense. Yami had _fought_ Zorc, had almost died trying to defeat him; there was no way he would have done so if he was evil.

"Kaiba," Yugi whispered. Seto looked at him. "Thank you. A-and you, Blue-Eyes."

 ** _It was nothing, young Light_** , the dragon inclined her head.

"You were trying to protect me, weren't you?" Seto asked quietly. Yugi nodded, not meeting his eyes. "That was…very brave of you. I appreciate it."

Offering gratitude was not something he did often, and he was terrible at it. He realized, though, that Yami was not stupid, and would probably realize that Seto being in the Shadow Realm was not a coincidence. It was only a matter of time before he put two and two together. Seto would have to make sure that there was no trace of Yugi to be found anywhere near the Kaiba mansion. _On that note,_ he thought to himself, _How do we get out of here, anyway?_

As though sensing his thoughts, the dragon shifted. **_I will send you back where you belong_** , she said. **_It is dangerous for human souls to remain here long._**

Seto nodded. Yugi closed his eyes, and Seto did the same.

 ** _Master,_ **a whisper in his head spoke. **_Protect the Light. He will need you._ **There was a rushing in his ears…

And then he was in his own bed, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom.

This was getting utterly _ridiculous_. He'd gone from merely observing the tiny duelist, after witnessing Yami's cruelty to him, to getting dragged into a mess that seemed to escalate every time he turned around. Preventing murder. Keeping Yugi in his own house to keep him hidden. And now, that battle – if you could call it that – in the Shadow Realm. What next? When had this gotten so complicated? And why did he seem to _care so much_?

He felt like he had run a marathon and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. Still, he got up. He had to make sure that the house was secure…and that Yugi was conscious as well.

A quick check of the security system assured him that everything was functioning perfectly. Satisfied, he made his way to Yugi's bedroom.

Sure enough, Yugi was awake, lying back on his pillows. It was a slight shock to see his face wan and marred with mostly faded bruises once again, after seeing him perfectly fine in the Shadow Realm. _Heh,_ he thought to himself wryly, _Figures I'd start believing all this magic crap now…_ Though there was no denying it, he supposed; unless, of course, the whole Shadow Realm thing _had_ been a dream, and Yugi would think him crazy if he mentioned it.

Yugi looked at him, and for the first time, there was no fear in his gaze. Instead, there was trust. And Seto knew in his gut that the events in the Shadow Realm were no dream.

"So, you…got back okay?" he said, not entirely sure how to phrase the question.

Yugi nodded. "Thank you, Kaiba," he said again. "I…I wouldn't have been able to fight him much longer."

That much had been obvious. Seto had been surprised he was fighting _at all_ , with how terrified he was of him. It was…strange, he thought, that someone thought it necessary to protect _him_. Seto Kaiba did not usually need protection, and usually became irritated when someone offered to do so. This time, curiously enough, it meant something that Yugi had tried.

"He is…quite formidable," he said, and he meant it. As a normal opponent, he and Yami were evenly matched, both of them commanding respect just in how they stood. But this new, demonic side of him was an entirely different story. There was no telling what he might or might not do.

Yugi cringed at his words, but said nothing. Seto decided that it was time they both got some real sleep.

"Get some sleep, Yugi," he said, turning to leave. "It's been a…really weird night."

Yugi nodded, yawning. "'Night, Kaiba."

Seto paused. For some reason, it didn't sound right. Yugi was under his protection now…

"…Call me Seto," he said. It would be strange at first, no doubt. Very few people were permitted to address him by his first name. But somehow, it felt better.

Yugi was quiet for a moment. Then, "All right…Seto," he said. Yes, decidedly strange. But he would get used to it.

He nodded in reply and left, returning to his bed at last.


	7. Chapter 6 - Flare

_Its fury knew no bounds._

 _Thwarted, yet again. And this time, by Its rival, a Light in his own way._

 _Despicable._

 _And still It knew nothing of the Light's whereabouts. STILL._

 _...unless…_

 _...unless the rival's presence meant something._

 _Cold, hard purpose settled within._

 _It would discover how much the rival knew. And if necessary, It would end him, too._

* * *

This time, Seto knew that some kind of confrontation in school was all but inevitable. It might be a small one… but if he still knew his rival as well as he thought, he would not pass up an opportunity to see whether Seto knew of or even remembered anything from the previous night.

He was outwardly his calm, cold self; inwardly, he was as guarded as he could be, analyzing everything around him. The chess game continued, and today would prove whether he would evade a trap or blunder right into one. Sometimes, the cleverest players could disguise their true plays until it was too late to maneuver out.

He, obviously, was among the cleverest. But so was Yami.

His conviction solidified, feeling almost heavy, a weight on his mind. He would _not_ lose this game. Yami would not best him, not this time. This time, there was too much at stake for him to lose, and for once, he truly felt that he had the upper hand. He stayed vigilant, ready.

It only took until his break period for the inevitable to occur.

Having shunned the library as a precaution, Seto was sitting in an empty classroom, at the teacher's desk. Perhaps it was arrogant of him, but he could spread out his work better, and he knew he'd have everything cleaned up properly by the time the bell rang anyway.

He was jotting down notes from the latest test results of his new prototypes when he heard footsteps approaching.

"Kaiba." His rival's tone was, if anything, on edge. Interesting.

Seto didn't look up. "I'm working, pharaoh," he grunted irritably, his reaction mostly genuine. He _hated_ being interrupted.

"I can see that." Annoyance. Normal...but still satisfying. "This will only take a moment, if you _don't mind_."

Seto snorted, but put down his pencil and looked up, meeting Yami's irritated stare.

"It had better be important," he said flatly, taking in every detail of his rival's expression. Interestingly, the eyes that had glowed so red in the Shadow Realm were their normal benign violet.

"It is." His expression suddenly became sad and worried. "Kaiba...have you talked to Yugi at all lately? I think something's going on with him."

...Well, now, this was not quite what he'd expected. But he let himself respond naturally...with incredulity. " _Yugi?_ Why the hell would I be talking to him? Ask him yourself."

"Well, that's just it," the former pharaoh actually bit his lip, the picture of worry. "He's been really distant, to all of us, not just me. He has me worried. I've seen him talking to you a couple of times, so...I wondered if he'd mentioned anything."

Seto snorted. "You must be desperate if that's what you're going off of. The only thing I've discussed with your precious counterpart is how idiotic it is for someone of _his_ height to store things in the top compartment of his locker. And also that he should make sure one of _you_ is around to reach them for him so that _I_ don't end up tripping over him the next time he tries to reach something."

"...I see." He looked...dejected. If Seto hadn't known better, he'd have thought it was genuine. "Well, it was a thought. I won't bother you further, Kaiba." He turned to leave.

Seto turned back to his work but watched his rival out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't resist one more barb. "I'm surprised you're even here, if your counterpart is still stuck in bed. What, did he get sick of you fussing over him like some overprotective parent?"

Yami stopped but didn't turn back around. "He...didn't want the both of us to fall behind on our work," he mumbled, sounding almost upset. A clear "confession" of a rift.

"Whatever," Seto sneered. "You'll be fine, right, pharaoh? True love and friendship and all that crap?"

At that, Yami did whirl to face him, and out of the corner of his eye, Seto swore he saw a flash of furious crimson. He said nothing, however, and after a moment, Seto let himself look up at him, sardonically quirking an eyebrow.

"You're wasting my time, _Yami_ , and my time is valuable," he said flatly.

"...I really, _really_ , don't know why I bother sometimes, Kaiba." The pharaoh looked angry, but no more than usual. This time, he spun on his heel and stormed out.

Seto bent back to his work, his thoughts spinning. That performance was nearly flawless. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd half-expected anything else, but he couldn't help wondering if his own had been good enough. He pulled his page of notes closer, beginning to turn his focus back to the product test…

...and as he did so, he could have sworn he saw a shadow swoop over his head. Or rather...he _felt something_ brush his head...or his mind.

He looked up and around sharply, noticing nothing out of place, and no person - or a particularly spiky-haired person, for that matter - in sight.

Whatever it was, it could stay _out_. He had a feeling he knew, but for the moment, he pushed those ideas down and focused on his notes once more. He had always been able to focus on something single-mindedly even when other things were bothering him, and it had proven to be a useful skill. He used it now.

No former spirit or pharaoh or _anyone_ would read his mind and find what they wanted.

The rest of the day was fairly normal. He felt no other strange brushes with his mind, saw nothing out of the ordinary. He did, however, feel Yami's eyes on him whenever they came within sight of each other. He acted as he always did, ignoring it or treating it with sardonic indifference if their eyes happened to meet.

The former pharaoh did try one last time to get a rise out of him towards the end of the day, though.

"You know, Kaiba, students aren't supposed to use teachers' desks like you did earlier," he said, falling into step beside him as they changed classes, "The library is always open. Why don't you work there?"

His tone was light and casual, and Seto matched it. "I know it is. But I don't like it. Too much dust and outdated relics." He glanced at his rival briefly, gauging his reaction. "Why do you care? The teachers don't," he added snidely.

Yami sighed, a little theatrically in Seto's opinion. "You never can take a friendly gesture at face value," he said, his tone both resigned and irritated.

"And you never know when to stop with the friendship crap," Seto retorted.

"Yo! 'Ey, Yami!" Joey Wheeler's obnoxiously loud voice cut into their verbal sparring; for once, it was a welcome interruption. "We gotta go, dude!"

"Don't want the Geek Squad to be late," Seto sneered, and walked off before Yami could say anything.

"Sorry, Joey," he heard the pharaoh say to his friend, "Just offering Kaiba a little advice on study rooms that are open."

"You're way too nice, you know that, right?"

Seto just barely suppressed a snort as he made his way to his next class. Even though Yami was an impeccable actor...he still had no qualms about calling Wheeler, that irritating pseudo-duelist, several colorful variations of "idiot" before he even sat down at his desk.

 _So...Yami's made his move, and I've made my counter-move_ , he thought. _What comes next, I wonder?_

* * *

 _...Uncertain._

 _It was uncertain. Even after It had Reached toward his thoughts, the rival had told It nothing._

 _It despised Its weak mortal form; the mind brush had taken far too much energy. And It still had to keep the others quiescent._

 _But Its work was not yet done._

* * *

"...So that's just...a _thing_ he can do? At _any time_?"

Seto stared at Yugi, who was avoiding his gaze, fiddling with the game controller on his lap. He himself was seated at the desk in the living room, working as he always did.

"Kind of," Yugi said quietly. He still spoke softly, but his voice was steadier. "It's...hard to explain. But it takes a lot of energy; even when we had the Puzzle, he'd be exhausted. So he doesn't do it much. But…" he shivered slightly, "he can...sense things sometimes. In general. Sensing me...isn't hard."

"What?!" Yugi flinched slightly at his yell, but Seto couldn't help it; this wasn't something he could counteract, and the thought was downright alarming. "Yugi, if he can sense you anywhere you are…"

"N-no, not- he can't- sorry," Yugi seemed to shrink into himself a little. "Sorry...I wasn't clear. I- he can tell if I'm close sometimes. That's all. It's not- well, it's not usually…? Sorry…" He was babbling, Seto realized, out of ingrained fear.

He sighed. "Yugi, it's okay. Take a breath." Yugi did so, seeming to relax a little, and glanced in Seto's direction. "I shouldn't have yelled," Seto muttered, feeling his face grow warm; admitting wrong was not one of his strong suits. "It just sounded for a moment like he could find you easily, and that...isn't something I could do anything about."

"Oh. Okay." Yugi took another breath. "Then...unless he actually comes here...it shouldn't work."

"Well, he's never going to set foot past the front gate," Seto said crisply, "So you're safe from that, then."

Yugi nodded but said nothing. After a moment, Seto went back to his work. Answering emails from his subordinates was not particularly entertaining...but it was necessary.

"Um…" Yugi's hesitant half-whisper was a surprise; he rarely initiated conversation. Seto looked up, seeing to his surprise that Yugi was making an effort to look at him directly. When their eyes met, however, Yugi's gaze dropped.

"What is it?" Seto asked, doing his best to sound casual.

"...are you angry with me?" Yugi's voice was a fearful whisper.

Seto stared, thoroughly confused. "Why would I be angry with you?"

"Well...I should've told you about the mental reaching? I should've...should've known it was important…"

Seto nearly asked in exasperation how Yugi could possibly have known that this would be something he'd have to deal with, when he recalled his physician's advice. Abuse victims, he'd said, often hyper-observe those around them for any sign of displeasure as a defense mechanism. They would read the mood of their abuser and know if something hurtful was coming, and it gradually became a behavior they applied to most people.

The fact that Yugi was _asking_ him, though, implied that his physician had explained this to him, too, and had advised him that asking was okay for someone like Seto.

Progress was progress.

He made himself take a deep breath. "Yugi, you couldn't have known this would be something he'd use on me. So no, I'm not angry at you. I'm glad you were able to explain it, even if it wasn't something particularly pleasant to hear." He wrinkled his nose in distaste; that kind of skill sounded like a violent invasion. "I… I'm sorry if I scared you," he added awkwardly.

Yugi briefly looked him in the eye in surprise, and the ghost of a smile flickered across his features. "It's okay," he said, and Seto heard the relief in his tone.

"I do want to ask about the Shadow Realm...thing," he continued, frowning slightly. "That's… a very weird thing to deal with. Is _that_ a way to find you? Do you have a way to avoid getting pulled in there?"

Yugi's frown mirrored his own; it was one of thought, not fear. "Hmm. I don't think it can be used that way. With… finding me, I mean."

"Right, he would have done so already," Seto said, nodding as he thought aloud, and then promptly regretted it when Yugi's expression looked panicked for a split second.

"...right. Um," Yugi had to take a breath to steady himself. "I don't know about… getting pulled into it, if I could stop it. I never could before. But… well, he doesn't seem to like going to it much. He's only used it on me a couple of times."

 _'Only' a couple of times_ , Seto thought sourly. _As if that makes it less awful_. Aloud, he said, "Hm. Well, that's something. If you think of anything that could help, though, just in case, let me know. The more we can guard against him, the better."

Yugi nodded. Seto went back to answering his emails, and Yugi went back to his game. He really wanted to ask Yugi why Yami wanted to actually _kill_ him; that was the only part of his overall behavior that seemed like an idea of a deranged madman. But somehow, he didn't think Yugi would be up to that conversation...or even knew the answer.

'Finally, I'll be free,' he'd said, the night Seto had stopped his attack. It made no sense... free from what? He _was_ free; he had his own body, his own identity, and everything.

He glowered at his computer screen. Such questions could not be answered, and Seto had too much work to do to let them circle around his brain. Firmly, he pushed them back, focusing as best he could.

And then he was promptly interrupted by his little brother bouncing in.

"Hey Seto! Hey Yugi!" Seto glanced up in annoyance in time to see Yugi jump in surprise... which had the added side effect of his character falling off a ledge and dying. Yugi groaned.

"Oops...sorry Yugi." Mokuba looked contrite.

"Have you finished your homework?" Seto asked sternly before Yugi could answer.

His brother rolled his eyes. "Yes, _mom_ ," he drawled. Then he smirked. "Have _you_?"

"The schoolwork, yes," he responded dryly… and not entirely truthfully, but his brother didn't need to know that. Neither did Yugi, for that matter. "The _real_ work… not even close."

Mokuba stuck his tongue out at him and sat next to Yugi on the couch. Yugi, however, looked over at Seto.

"You… um… you work a lot, K-uh… Seto," he said, visibly swallowing as though steeling himself. Twice he'd initiated conversation now; Seto couldn't help feeling a trickle of pride.

"Yep, he does," Mokuba said blithely. "He never stops, even when he should. Try telling him he needs to take a break."

"While _I'm_ stuck in school for six hours, everyone _else_ is working," Seto tried very hard not to sound annoyed, but he _was_ also a little bit amused. "I have to make decisions for the idiots who work for me _sometime_."

"Oooh, yeah, that time you were up until four in the morning, I bet you got lots of responses." Mokuba was just teasing him, he knew, and he didn't entirely mind the distraction.

"You know I don't normally make a habit of that, only when it's important." Seto had to resist the very juvenile urge to stick his tongue out at his little brother.

"Take a break, Seto."

"I don't need to, Mokuba."

"See?" Mokuba turned to Yugi, whose expression had lightened considerably; he was nearly smiling. "Pointless. Can we switch to multi-player once you hit a save point?"

"Oh. Sure, if you like." Yugi sped up his own progress; Seto noted that he was as good with video games as he was at dueling.

"Don't go easy on me," Mokuba said, readying his own controller.

"...Okay."

Seto turned his attention back to his screen as Yugi hit his save point. He realized his own mouth had curled up of its own accord: he was smiling. Mokuba's good humor was infectious, and his treatment of Yugi as a normal friend was obviously having the desired effect of helping him feel more comfortable. He was careful not to go too overboard; he knew Yugi was sensitive and easily startled, but Seto could tell that he loved having a reliable gaming partner.

Mokuba's chatter and the game's music became pleasant background noise as Seto concentrated, working his way through approvals and inane questions. As he typed up his notes and instructions for the next round of prototype building and testing, he caught himself looking at the pair of them more than once.

Yugi's face was eager, intense… that almost-smile was back, the thrill of a fun challenge making itself known.

Seto realized he liked seeing Yugi in such a good mood. Engaged, unhindered by fear, focused...

 _Nearly_ smiling. But not quite.

He hoped he'd see him smile soon.


	8. Chapter 7 - Glow

_It despised Its mortal prison._

 _It could not search tirelessly or flicker across shadows. It could not flicker into the hated Realm of Shadows when Its energy was so focused on the physical search._

 _But It tried. Night after night, It pushed Its mortal prison to its limits. It knew exhaustion. It knew pain._

 _But all they did was feed Its fury._

* * *

Seto groaned, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands, leaning on his desk. He had a _raging_ headache. It was late, and he was exhausted, but he was stuck on how to implement a few mechanics in his latest VR game, and it was driving him crazy.

He was also having trouble focusing for very long in general, because of his other problem.

Like he'd anticipated, the longer Yugi was missing, the more problematic it became. It was almost a month now since he'd "vanished", and people were noticing. Yami's story of the mugging was unquestioned, but he'd started saying that he'd come home one day to find Yugi gone, without any kind of note or anything. He was, supposedly, worried sick, but convinced that Yugi had run away.

Mokuba had come up with a rather brilliant idea to keep Yugi up to date with his schoolwork without raising suspicion; Seto himself was in none of the normal classes and thus could not just lend Yugi his own materials. But Mokuba was exceptionally brilliant and already a grade ahead of where he would have been normally… and so it was not much of a stretch for him to ask to shadow some advanced high school classes, get a feel for the coursework, and see if he'd be able to advance into senior year of high school the following year.

And since he knew Yugi's friends, it made sense to shadow them. Their classes and Yugi's were the same; their scheduling was just different… so it ended up being a perfect cover.

Yami, of course, was encouraging as always; Joey and Tristan teased him a little but practically adopted him as their own little brother, refusing to let anyone bother him, and Téa was kind and supportive in her own quieter way.

His little brother was, by all accounts, doing just fine with the work, too, to Seto's quiet pride. And sometimes he explained some of the more difficult math or English phrases to Yugi when they worked together.

However...Yugi's absence was definitely noticed now, and that was a problem. If he was "discovered" at the Kaiba mansion, kidnapping accusations would fly no matter what Yugi himself said, and Yugi couldn't stay hidden from society forever. Nor could he go home. Another problem to consider was whether Yami was getting desperate enough to do something drastic.

Neither of them had been dragged into the Shadow Realm in their dreams again, and Seto was wondering what Yami was waiting for. Even if Yugi was right and the former pharaoh had an aversion to the place, it seemed too convenient to leave it alone when it was the one way he could contact Yugi without interference.

Either he was planning something, or he was using all his energy to search for Yugi in other ways.

"Uh… Seto?" Yugi's quiet voice interrupted his thoughts and he realized he'd been sitting with his face in his hands for several minutes without doing any work.

Great. Like he wasn't behind on this already.

He sighed and brought his hands down, straightening, and looked at Yugi. To his surprise, Yugi held a fresh cup of tea. "Yugi," he acknowledged, nodding. "Everything okay?"

"Yes… well," Yugi fidgeted a little, looking at the teacup in his hands. "I thought… you might like some tea. To help you concentrate? It's really late, but you don't have school tomorrow…" he trailed off, looking back up at Seto uncertainly.

Seto was, admittedly, touched. Yugi was always kind, but he'd forgotten how quickly Yugi would reach out to another if he thought they needed help.

"...Yes, actually, tea sounds excellent," he said, favoring Yugi with a small smile. "Thank you."

Yugi brightened and walked over, setting the tea down in front of him. "What… what are you working on?" he asked tentatively.

Seto took a sip of the tea. It was hot, but strong, and he felt his headache recede a little. "Everything. Game mechanics are giving me some problems, but," he sighed. "I have some story progression and side quest issues that are driving me _insane_ , and I wanted to have the whole thing done by tomorrow. I _hate_ being behind schedule," he muttered, glowering into his tea before taking another sip.

"Hm…" Yugi's thoughtful tone made him look back up, and he saw Yugi studying the pages on his desk, upside-down to his view, a thoughtful frown on his face.

...Yugi was really good at games.

"Want to take a crack at it?" He asked, and Yugi's head shot up, his expression eager. "You're good at pretty much every game you play; maybe you can figure something out."

Yugi smiled. It was a real, genuine smile, even if it was a bit tentative, and it lit up his entire face. "Sure!"

Seto flipped the pages around so he could read them properly and spread them out in order. "Have at it. I can explain what the process is so far, if you like."

Yugi nodded. "Yes please, that'd help," he said, almost breathlessly, his eyes riveted on the notes, flowcharts, and storyboards in front of him. Seto realized that this was Yugi's passion; he didn't just love playing games - he wanted to _create_ them, too.

He described the game as Yugi studied the pages, outlining the central themes, explaining where the story was supposed to go, and where he was stuck.

"...what if you moved this sidequest?" Yugi said, pointing to one. "It could work back here on the timeline a bit… then you could take this bit of plot information here–" he indicated a couple of bullet points on another page, "–and work it into the quest's completion. It would make sense for people in this village to understand it, so the player could discover it there, see? And then," he drew his finger to another sidequest branching off the main progression, "this one here, you can use this… put the temple puzzle here instead. It pulls them further into the main story, instead of being optional, but that just makes them more useful, and you want players to explore every avenue they find, right?"

Seto was standing now, leaning over the desk so he could see better. The pages were upside-down to him, now, but he could read them fine… and Yugi's idea helped the pieces come together.

"...And that way, the information is spaced out better, so we don't need an info-dump, and moving the temple puzzle makes it easier to guide the player along to the capital city afterward," he said quietly, staring down at the pages as avidly as Yugi. "Excellent. Good idea, Yugi."

Yugi smiled again, and there was nothing tentative in it this time. "Thanks," he said. "Like you said… I love games."

"And you're good at them, too," Seto reminded him. "Better than me...occasionally," he added dryly, and Yugi actually gave a tiny 'hm' of amusement. "Come over here, I'll re-draw this; you make sure I get your changes."

Yugi hesitated for a moment, but then walked around the desk and stood at Seto's side. "Okay," he said quietly.

It took them half an hour, but they got it worked out. Seto's head was pounding, demanding he get some sleep, and Yugi looked tired… but they'd gotten it set down.

"Yugi," Seto tried not to yawn as he stood, stretching a little, "Why don't you work on this with me from now on? You can be credited as a story developer."

Yugi's third smile was brilliant. "I'd _love_ that," he said, eyes bright. "Thank you, Seto."

That smile stayed in Seto's head as he went to bed.

He liked that smile.

He liked that he'd made it happen, too. 

* * *

_The Light was alive; It could tell. It could_ feel _his distasteful brightness, a general infuriating reminder._

 _But It could not find him._

 _It searched, pushing the limits of Its mortal prison. It had put off those around It with a false tale, to keep them placid and sympathetic. And not too curious._

 _This was for It alone to pursue._

 _But it was_ exceptionally _difficult._

* * *

Working with Yugi made the entire game development project go much easier. Yugi was brilliant when it came to strategizing, and could think of complicated puzzles and clues that had even Seto struggling a little to figure out. It was fun, and it became a reminder of why he got into gaming in the first place.

It had the added bonus of Yugi becoming more comfortable around him, too. Every so often he'd bring himself up short mid-sentence and flush, looking fearful; or, be almost nose to nose with Seto poring over schematics and notations and suddenly jerk away, as though he was waiting for any moment he was too comfortable to be a trap.

Perhaps it had started that way with Yami.

Seto made sure to keep his reactions small when those hitches happened; only if Yugi really seemed to have a bad flashback or became panicky would he stop the work and help Yugi calm down.

Mokuba jokingly despaired that he'd find a girlfriend before he'd find another good gaming partner, but sometimes he'd help them, too. Yugi would play with him sometimes, but he genuinely loved working on the game with Seto, and Mokuba didn't begrudge it.

"Hey Yugi…" Seto said one night, finishing a note on his document. His desk in the den was spread with several piles, which would normally irritate him, but tonight they were signs of good progress.

"Hm?" Yugi was frowning in concentration opposite him, scribbling away at his notes on the game's plot progression; they'd worked well together today, and Seto felt ready to broach a couple of rather sensitive topics.

"We need to figure out how to get you back on your feet." Yugi had become more comfortable with talking directly, but at this, he visibly tensed and looked up nervously.

"...I can't stay here anymore, can I?" His voice was quiet and even, but Seto saw the sadness in his eyes.

He hurried to correct him, feeling his face get a little warm in embarrassment. "No, no, you can stay as long as you want. It's not like anyone is using that room." Yugi let out a breath in obvious relief. "I mean you can't stay _hidden_ for much longer. Just from a practical standpoint, it can't last. You need to be able to go outside, finish school, get a job, live your life again."

Yugi swallowed and said, "But Seto… he's still out for my blood. How can I… I mean, I don't… I _want_ to do all that, but… well, you understand, right?"

Seto nodded. "You have a point… and about that, do you have any idea _why_ he wants to kill you so badly? Because I can't figure it out. It makes no sense."

Yugi sighed, and his entire figure seemed to slump. "I don't know." He bit his lip. "He's said… he wants to be free? But I don't… I mean, he's not sharing a body with me anymore. We're still connected? Somewhat, anyway. But…"

"That's what I was thinking," Seto said. He knew he was going into very sensitive territory but it was _really_ bugging him that he couldn't make sense of it. "He's separate, he's his own self, and he _made_ the decision to do that. If he wants a different life, he can just move out and do something different, yes?" Yugi nodded, his eyes on his hands. "So has he gone _insane_? Killing you changes none of that. _Abusing_ you changes none of that, for that matter," he added with a degree of anger.

"I don't know," Yugi's voice was a half whisper, his hands clenched tight. "It...it doesn't make sense to me, either. We were so _happy…_ " He choked up a little and Seto realized how much Yugi had truly lost through all of this. "I don't know what changed," his voice broke.

Seto reached over to the box of tissues on his desk and handed one to Yugi, who took it gratefully. He felt a knot in his stomach tighten, watching Yugi blow his nose and try to get himself under control.

He cleared his throat a little awkwardly; he generally _hated_ sentimental conversation. "Well...right," he said, trying to sound normal. "On the subject of you getting your life back…" Yugi nodded to show he was listening. "Yami actually did us a favor."

"...He _did_?" Yugi gave his nose one final blow and stared up at Seto, his expression incredulous.

"Oh, not on _purpose_ ," Seto couldn't help snorting, "But his current story is that you ran off. He's pretending to be all sad about it, and doing a damn good job of it, but it means he's not admitting that you're flat-out _missing_."

Yugi's face had gone from puzzled, to sad, to dawning comprehension. "...So if I've run away, I can come _back_ ," he said thoughtfully.

"Right," Seto nodded briskly. " _And_ , when you _do_ decide to 'come back', so to speak, if you tell the truth… or part of the truth, anyway, that you were being abused–hang on, don't panic, hear me out," he said hurriedly, catching Yugi's look of alarm, "The problem of what Yami wants to do is still a problem; I'm not saying that it isn't. I'm saying that when you do come back, your word against his is going to hold more merit _because you've run away_. Why else would you have done so, if not because something was seriously wrong at home? Make sense?"

Yugi nodded slowly, and was quiet for a moment. Seto let him process it all. "...I don't know if I can face him, though," he said finally. His voice wavered, but he kept going - a fact Seto noted with satisfaction. "Talking to you is one thing… talking to other people another… and talking to him to his face…" he shuddered.

"I know," Seto said, trying to sound gentle. "I've only seen his real self a few times; living with it is incomprehensible. But it's an option that's there when you're ready… and obviously, you won't have to do it on your own; Mokuba and I will be behind you."

Yugi looked so touched and grateful that Seto felt his face get warm and he hastened to continue. "In the meantime… why don't you accompany me or Mokuba in short bursts every so often? Disguised if you like… that is, if your hair can fit under… well… anything." He couldn't help sounding a little sarcastic, and to his pleased surprise, Yugi gave a tiny laugh. It was uncertain and quiet… but it was _there_.

"Yes, it can," he smiled, and reached up with both hands, flattening a couple of spikes down. It took some force, and a few stray locks fought to stick stubbornly upright through his fingers… but it was obviously softer than it looked. And it _would_ stay down if firmly covered.

"...Okay, _just_ because I'm curious…" Seto reached for his jacket, hanging off the back of his chair, and tossed it to Yugi. "Try it."

Yugi looked thoroughly amused now, but acquiesced. It took some maneuvering, but he managed to wrap Seto's jacket around his head, flattening all his hair down and using the sleeves to tie it firmly under his chin.

...he looked _really_ bizarre without the familiar frame of multicolored hair. And a _lot_ smaller.

Yugi took one look at Seto's expression and burst into quiet giggles. "...everyone looks that way when they see me with my hair covered," he grinned shyly. "No one believes it's naturally this way, either."

"I'm pretty sure it would confound most geneticists," Seto said dryly, as Yugi unwound the jacket, letting his hair spring right back into place. "But...good. We get you a hoodie or something large enough to cover all that, and short trips shouldn't be a problem. No offense, but I highly doubt most people would recognize you with your hair covered."

Yugi shrugged. "Probably. But that's fine… and sure, I guess, but what if we run into… people we know?"

Seto raised an eyebrow, knowing full well who he really meant. "We leave before they get a chance to recognize you. And we make sure we have a car nearby if we need to move quickly. I know it's a risk… but you'll have to eventually, you know."

Yugi nodded solemnly, looking back down at his notes. Both of them were quiet for a couple of minutes. Seto knew he couldn't promise that they'd be lucky every time… but Yugi _really_ should be able to go places if he wanted to. He didn't deserve to be hiding inside all the time.

He just didn't know how they could possibly bring Yami to justice or keep him permanently away.

He'd have to figure that out another time.

"How are you on that story editing?" he asked crisply. "I've got some options for textures and terrain I'd like to go through if you want."

Yugi blinked, as lost in thought as Seto himself had been. "...I'm at a decent stopping point, actually, so sure."

Seto pulled up the swatches and options on his tablet, and Yugi pulled his chair around so he was right next to him. For the next hour or two, they cycled through each one, seeing how they looked wrapped around a full model. It was late and well past time for them to be sleeping, but neither of them wanted to stop. So they kept at it, Seto noting which ones they picked for which area and why.

Then, Seto felt a weight slump into his left shoulder, nearly knocking him over just because he wasn't prepared for it. He looked… and realized Yugi had fallen asleep right there, and was slumped over the side of his chair onto Seto's arm.

He stared for a good moment or two, not entirely sure what to do. Yugi was still not fond of being touched in general, but he definitely couldn't use Seto's arm as a pillow all night.

It was...endearing, though, he realized. And also kind of nice in a weird way; he never saw Yugi's face so peaceful and content when he was awake.

He gave it a few minutes, jotting down some last notes and making sure to include where they had left off. Yugi didn't wake. In fact, to Seto's slight embarrassment, he actually _cuddled_ Seto's arm a little in his sleep.

...To bed it was, then.

Seto carefully set his tablet and notes aside, and maneuvered his arms slowly so they cradled his diminutive partner, trying not to startle him awake. When he stood, he nearly pitched over just because his foot had fallen asleep… but Yugi's response was merely a soft, unintelligible murmur.

He was healthier now that he'd had a few weeks of decent food at regular intervals, but still weighed less than Seto expected. He carried him carefully, remembering doing so with Mokuba; when they were little, his little brother would fall asleep in the orphanage's playroom and he'd have to be carried to bed. He realized he felt… not just protective of the tiny duelist in his arms, but… affectionate.

Yugi woke slightly as they reached his bedroom. "Was'matter…?" he mumbled.

Seto felt himself smiling. "Nothing, don't worry," he said quietly. "Just time to go to sleep, that's all."

"...Mmkay," came the sleepy murmur, and Seto crossed into the room, heading towards the nicely made bed. He sat Yugi down on it, turned down the covers, and helped him slide under them. He usually was not the kind of person who liked putting someone to bed… but he liked this, for some reason.

"Seto," Yugi yawned, snuggling into his pillows automatically.

"Yes?" he said quietly.

"Thanks…"

"You're welcome." He pulled up the covers and got up.

"...You really care… don't you…?" He stopped and looked back. Yugi had one eye cracked open just a little, looking at him. Seto felt something inside him loosen and shift a little.

"Yeah, I do." He smiled a little. It was true.

Yugi smiled back, closing his eyes and relaxing. The smile lingered as he nodded off again.

Seto left, looking back at his sleeping rival-turned-partner just once.

He did care… and he realized that he might be caring a little too much for his own comfort.


	9. Chapter 8 - Penumbra

Potential triggers: violence, blood

* * *

 _Its control was slipping. Its guise chafed, preventing It from acting to Its fullest. But It did not care. It had been too long._

 _It had to find the Light._

 _It would show no mercy._

* * *

Seto allowed himself a small smile at Yugi's expression when they walked into the arcade. It was risky, bringing him to a place where his old friends occasionally hung out, but he hadn't been anywhere fun in months. That abusive asshole had made sure of that.

Yugi had been apprehensive right before they'd left, even with his distinctive hair covered by a large hoodie (Seto was impressed that it had actually _flattened out_ somewhat beneath the hood). Seto had assured him that he was unrecognizable without the familiar fan of multi-colored spikes around his face… which was entirely true. The effect was rather bizarre, in Seto's opinion, but it worked.

He'd also assured Yugi that he could handle Yami should they run into him, had promised that he'd be safe. _And he will be_ , Seto thought, feeling rather satisfied. He'd knocked Yami unconscious before he'd even seen what had hit him, after all, and he had seen neither hide nor hair of him outside of school. He hadn't been spotted anywhere near Seto's home, or the KC tower, or any other place Seto himself frequented, which was a good sign. And on top of that… _I promised he'd be safe. And I keep my promises._

Even if they did run into the Dream Team, or whatever the hell they called themselves, there was nothing Yami could do in public. _On the other hand, he'd know that Yugi is with me for sure now,_ he mused, a slight frown creasing his brow. _And while I can easily keep him out, it would still be preferable if he never saw Yugi again. At least… not outside a courtroom._

He glanced down at the shorter duelist, who was looking around the dim room with an excited smile on his face. And that alone made the trip worth the risk; it was about time Yugi started living again. _We're here now,_ he told himself firmly. _Risk or no risk, it's too late now. And if you want to make good on your promise, you'd better stay alert._

"Seto?" Yugi's tentative tone pulled him out of his thoughts. "What… what should we do first?"

Seto's expression softened. "Whatever you'd like to do," he said, shrugging. "I haven't been here in a long time, either. Too few people who could actually challenge me," he couldn't help adding smugly.

Yugi gave his soft, uncertain laugh, but his eyes shone. "Well, then, I suppose today's your lucky day. Prepare to be challenged!" He spoke louder than he ever had before, though it was still a far cry from the triumphant shout it would have been prior to the abuse. _Still,_ Seto thought as he smirked down at his diminutive rival, _progress is progress._

Yugi proved to be a good game partner. Seto trounced him in air hockey, but was beaten in most of the console games they tried. While he _really_ didn't like losing, Seto discovered that he was enjoying himself even more than he would have if Mokuba was with him. The fact that most of his losses were close made it a little less annoying… if he didn't think about the embarrassing ones.

The arcade began to get louder. They'd arrived late in the morning, far earlier than the usual crowds who packed the place every weekend, but a good couple of hours had gone by. Seto made a mental note to leave as soon as he and Yugi finished a new game that was situated towards the back of the room. Thankfully, this one ended in a draw.

"Good game, Seto!" Yugi enthused, smiling brightly up at the taller man, his cheeks flushed with excitement. "You… you're getting better," he added, a mixture of shyness and impishness on his face. The uncertainty made the joke fall flat, but Seto gave a small chuckle anyway. At the rate he was going, Yugi'd be joking and laughing like his old self in no time.

Suddenly, Seto looked up. Apprehension washed through him as he gazed around the gaming mecca. He'd heard something… or _thought_ he'd heard something. The very voice he wanted to hear least in the entire world right now.

There it was. The words were unintelligible, but that tone could only belong to one person.

 _Shit._ He looked at Yugi, who was staring towards the front of the arcade. He'd heard. His face had drained of color; he looked like he was about to faint. Seto spotted a set of multi-colored spikes making its way towards them and acted as fast as he could. Grabbing Yugi's shoulder, he shoved him further down the aisle of consoles, positioning him directly behind himself as he pretended to observe a kid playing one of KaibaCorp's newer releases, blocking him completely from view. He could feel Yugi trembling, pressed between his back and the wall behind him, one hand clutching Seto's coat.

Seto fervently hoped that Yami wouldn't bother him. He pulled a small notepad and pen from his pocket and pretended to take notes. The notepad was for jotting down ideas for new KaibaCorp gadgets or games that he came up with on the go and was mostly full; hopefully, the Dream Squad would see that he was working and continue on their way.

No dice. "Hey, Kaiba!" Joey called, waving at him when he looked up, scowling. "What the heck are ya doin' _here_?"

"What does it _look_ like I'm doing?" Seto put all the venom into his voice that he could muster.

The pseudo-duelist snorted. "Is that your idea of havin' fun?"

He was out of patience, his nerves on edge. "I'm making sure my company's games are functioning properly and doing well, _Wheeler_ ," he snapped. "Now go play somewhere else. You wouldn't make it past level one on these."

Joey growled, but Yami put a hand on his shoulder, coming into full view. Seto noted with surprise that he looked terrible. He looked exhausted, wan, frustrated and…unusually angry. Unusual for public appearances, anyway.

"Let him be, Joey," he said irritably. Seto felt Yugi flinch when he heard him speak. "Let's go find this game of yours and wait for the others." Another anomaly: he was clearly unenthused about the game. Yami being unenthused about a game was about as normal as Seto being unenthused about his work. _Something's really wrong with him this time,_ Seto thought as he glared at the King of Games, not bothering to hide his dislike.

To his relief, the blond shrugged and turned away. "Fine, 's not worth it anyway," he muttered, heading towards the other side of the arcade. Yami turned to follow, but before he had taken three steps, he stopped and turned slowly back to look at Seto, a searching look on his face that Seto _really_ didn't like. He raised a sarcastic eyebrow in return and turned back to his notepad as if he didn't care, watching out of the corner of his eye as Yami turned back around and followed his friend. He hadn't felt that swooping shadow from last time, but…

"Seto," Yugi whispered urgently, panic lacing his voice. "Seto, I-I think he… sensed me; he… I… I felt it. We need to leave!"

Seto nodded to show he'd heard. Casually, he put the notepad back in his pocket, glancing over at Yami and Joey. Their backs were turned; Joey was waving to catch Tristan's attention as he approached. They were entirely distracted.

He turned to Yugi, who was white-faced and clearly terrified. "Let's go," he said softly. Yugi nodded. "Look," he continued, trying to help him calm down, "I promised I'd keep you safe. And I will. Okay?" Another nod. And a deep breath.

Seto wrapped an arm around his gaming partner's shoulders. "Stick close to me," he whispered, and felt Yugi's arm reach around his waist, clutching his jacket. He usually didn't show affection in public like this, but there were exceptions to every rule.

Looking around the room once again, he made a quick assessment. The front door was too far to get to without being seen. There was, however, a side exit near the back. Leading to a storage room, it was usually used for carrying in new equipment. Right now, though, if he wanted to get Yugi out unseen, that exit was the best bet.

He turned left and strode towards the side door, making sure he was between Yugi and his old friends.

Fifty feet. So far, so good.

Forty. Yugi was hyperventilating; he himself wasn't too calm, either. This had been a _really_ stupid idea.

Thirty. He'd promised to keep him safe. And Seto Kaiba always kept his promises.

Twenty-five. He resisted the urge to run; the tension was getting to him.

Twenty.

"Well, well," a soft, deep rumble spoke behind them.

 _Shit._

Both Seto and Yugi spun around, Yugi's hood falling back to expose his hair. Yami stared at them with a disturbing mix of anger, satisfaction, and that predatory gleam he'd had in his eyes when kicking Yugi to the ground. Seto's hand found one of Yugi's shoulders and gripped it, both in comfort and in a gesture to keep him close.

The King of Games smirked, cocking his head to one side. "I thought I sensed something," he said, still in that soft tone that screamed danger in every word. "I didn't think I'd see you again, Yugi…" he trailed off, anger coloring his words.

" _Yugi_?" Joey and Tristan stared at their old friend from the console they were sitting at some ways away. They jumped up and headed towards them.

"Where've you _been_ , man?" Tristan asked.

Seto kept his eyes on Yami. "Why don't you ask your precious pharaoh?" he sneered, anger and anxiety coursing through him. Yugi tugged the back of his coat, a silent plea to leave. Seto was not of the mind to argue. "Now, we have better things to do than hang with you idiots, so if you'll excuse us…" he turned.

Yami pounced. Moving so fast that Seto barely had time to react, he hurled himself forward, grabbing Yugi by the collar of his sweatshirt and slamming him against the far wall. He was shaking in what Seto realized was uncontrolled fury. Exclamations of shock came from the two behind him. He didn't care.

He would NOT let that asshole hurt Yugi. Not again.

"Let him go," he snarled, starting forward furiously. How the _hell_ had he gotten so far away so fast? "Are you that _pathetic_ that you have to _pick on_ someone, _King of Games?_ "

Normally, that kind of comment would've resulted in Yami retaliating right back. But he was focused on his trembling, petrified other half, an insane kind of rage burning in his eyes.

"You still defy me," he snarled, hauling Yugi up higher. " _Still_ you stand in my way, keeping me from what's mine."

"Let him go, you asshole!" Seto growled, trying to distract him, trying to reach him in time. Yugi opened his eyes, his frightened gaze landing on Seto, gaining courage.

Then Yami smiled. And punched Yugi harshly in the stomach.

Yugi's eyes bulged in shock. He looked down. Yami retracted his hand. Seto followed his gaze…

…to the knife embedded in his abdomen.

 _No._

Time stopped.

Seto felt the blood drain from his face. There was a rushing in his ears; all outside sounds were muffled. He watched Yami yank the knife out in slow motion and raise it high to strike again. He barely registered Joey and Tristan running past him, tackling the former pharaoh to the ground, wrenching the knife from his grasp and dragging him away even as he struggled to break free.

Shouts, incomprehensible to his ears; activity behind him. All he could see was Yugi. Yugi, sliding silently to the floor in a crumpled heap after Yami had let go. Yugi, blood pouring out of the wound, staining his clothing as it traveled slowly to the floor.

Yugi, whom he'd promised to protect.

 _No..._

He felt like he was moving through molasses, trying to get to him as fast as he could, but barely moving at all. _Yugi_ , he screamed mentally, though no sound left his lips. _Yugi!_

And then he was at his side, turning him onto his back, brushing those long angular bangs out of his face. His hand was shaking. Violet eyes blinked, and looked up. "S… Seto…" he whispered. His breath was ragged and labored.

Seto decided right then and there to ignore everything he had learned about what not to do to an injured person. Gently, as gently as he could manage, he lifted Yugi by the shoulders, pulling him into a warm embrace.

"Yugi," he said softly, unsticking his tongue from the roof of his mouth. "I…" he had no idea what to say. He faintly heard someone shout for an ambulance. "You… you're gonna get help soon. Okay?" He took a breath. It was harder to do so than usual. "You're going to be fine. But you… you have to hold on." Those large eyes found his. "Hold on… please hold on."

Yugi took another ragged breath, his mouth twitching into a sad smile. "It's too late, Seto," he whispered.

Seto shook his head. "No… no, you'll be fine," he practically growled, desperately. _Gods, please let him be okay. He can't… he can't…_

"Please, Seto," Yugi had tears in his eyes. "Don't do this."

He found it increasingly difficult to swallow. His eyes burned. "I… I'm sorry. Gods, Yugi, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Yugi sighed. He kept his gaze fixed on Seto's, as if he never wanted to look away. "Seto…these past few weeks, I never… I never thought I could be happy like that again. You," he had to take a breath. His breaths were getting shorter. "You gave me… the greatest gift I could've asked for."

Seto felt slightly dizzy. He was hot, he realized, and the burning in his eyes and throat was getting worse. But he couldn't pass out on Yugi, not now. He had to be strong. For him. Had to be strong…

"Seto… I need to tell you… I need to…" he brought up a hand, straining with the effort. His cold, small hand touched Seto's cheek, his mouth, and Seto suddenly understood what Yugi wanted to do. A wave of terrible, bittersweet sadness crashed through him, and he closed the distance between their faces.

Their lips met in a single, chaste kiss that felt far too much like a goodbye.

Seto's eyes felt wet as he pulled away. He hadn't cried in years. And he wasn't about to start… he had to be strong. Yugi _needed_ him to be strong. Blinking fiercely, he looked away.

"No… no, please, Seto," Yugi whispered. "Don't look away. Please…"

And he looked back. His gaze locked onto Yugi's, drinking in that deep purple, so unusual, so expressive. They were filled with tears.

With his free hand, he brushed Yugi's bangs back once again, lightly caressed his face. Why hadn't he noticed how soft his hair was? "Don't cry," he whispered. He didn't trust his voice to keep steady beyond that. "Don't cry. It's going to be all right."

Yugi smiled at him, a beautiful smile full of love and peace. And Seto felt the skin under his fingers grow cold, saw the last of the soft light leave his eyes.

Yugi was silent.

* * *

In which I am a terrible person .

We're reaching the end...two more chapters after this. Thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 9 - Eclipsed

Potential triggers: blood, death.

One more chapter after this...and it will be nice and long.

* * *

 _Victory._

 _At last._

* * *

Seto's brain seemed to shut down. He felt numb and cold, oblivious to all sights and sounds but for the tiny frame cradled in his arms.

This couldn't be real. _Gods_ , it couldn't be real.

He wasn't really sitting on the cold tile floor of the arcade. He _wasn't_. He wasn't holding Yugi's tiny body, limp and devoid of life. He wasn't. Not after he'd promised he'd keep him safe. He _couldn't_ … he _couldn't…_

The denial pounded through his skull, screaming over and over that this had to be a dream. A _bad_ dream.

The guilt coursed through his stomach, making him feel sick. He'd promised he'd keep him safe. He'd _promised_. He _never_ went back on a promise.

And yet, he'd failed.

Gods, it wasn't fair. It wasn't _fair!_ Yugi had been healing, he'd been coming out of the state of fear that he'd grown accustomed to under the pharaoh's tyranny. Damn it, he'd started _smiling_ again! If anyone deserved happiness, it was him; he'd been through so much and come so far and things were finally looking up…

Seto wanted to scream. The anguish and anger and guilt welled up in him, and he drew Yugi into a tighter embrace, crushing his body to him. One hand pressed Yugi's head to his shoulder, fingers tangling in those surprisingly smooth multicolored spikes. He didn't care that Yugi was gone, he didn't care that he was getting blood all over his clothes; he just couldn't let him go, couldn't let him go…

A strangled scream shattered the numb denial. Sound returned to his ears and he looked up.

A security guard had been trying to force Yami into a pair of handcuffs while Joey and Tristan looked on, half-watching Yugi as well. Yami had apparently been struggling and snarling, or so a vague part of his brain told him… until he'd screamed.

Yami dropped to the floor, convulsing violently once, twice. He was shaking now, trembling violently from head to foot as he struggled to rise, only to collapse and scream again, obviously in pain.

The tiny crowd that had gathered backed away from the murderer as he convulsed again, groaning and gasping. He turned his head, twisting to glare at Yugi, limp and unmoving in Seto's arms.

"You," he snarled, his voice rough with agony. Seto wasn't sure who he meant until Yami forced himself into a half-crawl; still shaking, his hand slipped and he groaned as he fell back down, an accusing finger pointing at his former lighter half.

Another spasm ripped through him. "No," he screamed. "No!" He raised his head to snarl at Seto and Yugi, his face an ugly mask of pain and hatred. "You WILL NOT stop me again! You…" Another spasm. Another howl of pain. "I AM FREE OF YOU," he roared, crawling slowly towards the pair.

Seto watched him with a detachment bordering on mild curiosity. His body felt cold and heavy; he couldn't move if he wanted to, but no matter. Yami couldn't hurt him more than he already had. "YOUR LIGHT IS GONE; IT BELONGS TO ME NOW!" The darker half gasped, contorting in agony. "I TOOK EVERYTHING!" he screamed. "YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY, _ALL THAT WAS YOUR LIGHT I TOOK! AND STILL YOU DENY ME WHAT IS MINE!_ "

Seto wondered vaguely why he didn't realize Yugi was dead already. " _I WILL NOT BE CHAINED TO A PATHETIC WORM!_ ** _I WILL NOT BE HALF A SOUL! YOU CANNOT MAKE ME FOLLOW YOU!_ **" This last was a desperate howl, ending in a scream of pain as another set of convulsions ripped through him. But for his cries, the room was quiet, all eyes trained, horrified, on the writhing figure.

He collapsed, gasping raggedly. Once more, he raised his head to glare at his light's shell, now-devoid of light. "I…hope…you suffer…" he snarled. "I…will…not…" His breath hitched. One last, great spasm tore through his diminutive frame, and then he went limp.

And Seto knew that it was over.

For a good moment or two, no one did anything but stare.

The first to move was Joey. Slowly, as though expecting him to jump back up, he knelt next to his fallen friend, a look of utter shock on his face. Tentatively, he reached out and touched his neck, feeling for a pulse.

Five seconds passed. Ten.

He sat back and shook his head.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then Tristan spoke softly. "I don't understand…"

"Darkness and light," Seto found himself answering as though on autopilot, his voice not rising beyond a half-whisper. "They were connected."

He felt a vague tinge of surprise when Joey nodded. "Two halves of a whole. Yug' told me ages ago. One can't survive without the other."

Tristan swallowed. "Guess no one told _him_ that."

Silence again.

A siren wailed. As though it was a sign, the small crowd dispersed, all but a few.

A siren…too late.

Too late to help. Too late to save Yugi.

Joey shuffled towards Seto, his eyes dropping down, filling with guilt and sadness.

Seto looked down. He'd almost forgotten that he was holding him. Gods, _why_ was there so much blood? It was everywhere…on the floor, soaking his clothes, soaking Yugi's clothes…so much red. Too much. Too much like the eyes of his murderer…

His eyes… Seto gazed at the face, tucked into his shoulder. Still open, dull violet staring sightlessly at his shirt. Slowly, he placed a finger on each eyelid, closing them gently.

With his eyes closed, he could almost be sleeping.

Almost.

Pain and anguish tore through the numbness. Oh gods, he couldn't be gone. He just _couldn't…_ The burning started behind his eyes again, and he shut them tightly, burrowing his face into Yugi's hair, clutching the tiny frame like a lifeline.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that. He didn't care. He never wanted to let go.

"Kaiba," a soft, disembodied voice made its way into his mind. "Kaiba, the paramedics need to take him away. You need to let go."

He didn't move. He couldn't. Grief cemented him in place, pushing everything else away.

"Son," this one was unfamiliar. "You have to let go. We won't hurt him."

No. No one could hurt Yugi anymore. And it was all his fault.

"Seto?" Familiar. He knew this one… he knew this one. How did he get here?

"Big brother?" He needed him. He couldn't fail him, too, he couldn't… Seto raised his eyes and met the distraught blue-gray gaze of his little brother. He knelt in front of him, careless of the blood on the ground. Understanding and sorrow filled his eyes. He was crying. "Seto… there's nothing you can do anymore. Let him go, okay? I'm right here."

Right here… yes, Mokuba was there… he could…

Seto let his grip on Yugi loosen. Two paramedics knelt down and gently took him from his arms. Handling him like a china doll, they laid him on a stretcher, covering his face.

Looking around, Seto saw Joey and Tristan sitting nearby, looking at him sadly, the look of shock not quite gone from their faces, silently supporting each other. But there was only one face he cared about now. He looked back at Mokuba, unable to speak. His voice seemed to have gone with Yugi.

But Mokuba understood. Tears pouring silently down his face, he wrapped his arms around his brother, hugging him tightly. Seto hugged back just as tightly, feeling the warm embrace ease the guilt and pain like nothing else could.

His little brother spoke softly into his ear, thick with grief. "He's not suffering anymore, big brother."

Seto felt his resolve crumble, letting the burning fill his eyes as he clung to his only family. "No…" he whispered hoarsely. "No, he isn't."

But that didn't make it hurt any less.


	11. Epilogue

Final chapter! I can't believe I've finally finished this story; it's been a long journey from start to finish. Thank you for reading, and thanks especially to my beta readers, Rika and Ashe.

Triggers in this chapter: blood, violence, mention of non-con

* * *

He was flying.

Soaring through light, wispy clouds in a bright blue sky, he was flying. The wind whipped his hair off his face, the sun was warm on his back, and the back of the Blue-Eyes he rode upon was strong and hard.

He had had this dream often as a child, when he had dreamed of owning merely one Blue-Eyes and becoming the greatest duelist ever. But he hadn't dreamt this in years. It felt…good.

 ** _Yes, it has been a while since we rode together_** , the dragon spoke in his mind. **_You have changed much since then._**

Yes. Yes, indeed he had.

They flew on for a time, riding the wind, until the dragon eventually banked left.

 _Are we going somewhere?_ He inquired mentally, knowing that the Blue-Eyes would hear him.

 ** _Yes,_ **she replied, **_The pharaoh and the Light are about to face judgment. I am taking you to witness it._**

Yugi… his stomach lurched. It had been a few days since he died, he knew… his funeral had been only yesterday. But the thought of seeing him again, even in a spirit form, brought warmth to his chest that had nothing to do with the sun. He had known so much cold, so much grief…

But wait. _Judgment?_ He asked. _Judgment by whom? For what?_

 ** _The weighing and judgment of souls by Anubis and Ma'at,_** the dragon replied. **_To determine whether they are worthy of the afterlife. As halves of a soul, they are judged together… yet their fates may be different._**

 _Hmph,_ Seto snorted. _If there is any justice in this place, Yami will be sent straight to hell. But Yugi… Yugi doesn't deserve to suffer. Not more than he already has._

 ** _Indeed_** , she responded. **_And I believe it is your destiny to witness it._**

Up ahead, a shadowy form began to come into focus. Seto had to rub his eyes as they drew closer to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was.

It was a temple. A large Egyptian temple, resting right in the middle of the sky. Great stone steps led up to a large, shadowy chamber within; columns rose on both sides of the entryway, carved and painted with hieroglyphs, each telling a story of its own while supporting the massive roof. A torch on each side of the entryway burned brightly, even in the bright sun, signaling the presence of those within.

The Blue-Eyes landed lightly at the top of the stairs, in front of the short passageway that led inside. **_I will remain here, to wait for you_** , she said.

 _Thank you…my friend,_ he responded, alighting and striding through the entryway. He paused, blinking at the sudden dimness.

He was inside a large chamber that looked a lot like the inside of an Egyptian tomb. A short set of stairs led up to the main hall. Torches dotted the walls, providing enough light to illuminate the hieroglyphs, large and small, that covered the walls. Seto realized that they told stories of great heroes and villains alike, and that all had passed through this room and the deities within it.

Directly in front of him, on twin thrones that rose higher than ten feet in the air, were the god Anubis, Lord of the Dead, and the goddess Ma'at, embodiment of truth and justice. In front of them, on a pedestal, stood a set of golden scales that looked to be a larger version of the ones Shadi had once commanded.

Yami stood far to the left, strong and proud as always, his back to Seto. Standing far to the right, facing the deities with his head bowed, was Yugi.

A voice sounded in the chamber, great and terrible, thundering through the hall and shaking Seto's very bones. **Who enters this trial unbidden?** It had to be Anubis.

Yugi and Yami both turned in surprise. Yugi's face showed surprise and wonder, lighting up in a smile. Yami merely glowered. Seto ignored him, sparing a small smile for Yugi.

"I come to witness the weighing of their souls," he declared, bowing a bit awkwardly. "My Blue-Eyes brought me here."

The two gods seemed to draw a breath at the same time, considering his words. Then, the goddess spoke. **Very well,** she said. Her voice was also great and terrible, yet there was a gentleness to it that made it more bearable to his ears. **You may stay. However, we ask that you keep your distance.**

Seto bowed again in reply, and moved to stand several feet behind Yugi, though enough to the side so he could see his face, who turned back to face the gods after giving him a look full of gratitude.

Ma'at stood. **Something has happened to upset the balance of these two souls,** she declared. **Here stand before us Light and Shadow, the Embodiment of Hope for the mortal world in both the ancient past and present day.** Yugi shifted uncomfortably. **It was expected that you would come here as equals, fully balanced. Yet, something is amiss.** **How came this imbalance to pass?**

Her gaze turned to Yugi, who flinched. **Young Light,** she said, **Perhaps you may speak first.** Seto saw Yami grind his teeth out of the corner of his eye.

Yugi took a deep, nervous breath. "Goddess Ma'at," he said softly, his eyes not leaving the ground, "We did become equals. We fought as equals, and separated as equals, retaining the bond we had shared but went forth as separate people. And for a while, everything was fine. But… but…" he trailed off, tensing.

 **Go on, young Light,** the goddess said gently.

Yugi swallowed, and Seto could feel his fear. He was about to condemn his other half… and feared punishment for it. "I… I'm not sure when it started, exactly," he said softly. "B-but… Y-Yami, he…he started to…" he took a breath. "…to hurt me."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, **Explain** , rumbled Anubis.

Yugi swallowed again, and Seto found himself wishing he could speak for him. He knew, however, that he could not. "I-It started…when we would f-fight," he stammered. "He hit me… said some nasty things, and… and I thought I deserved it… b-but when we would talk about it the next day… he would apologize. H-he'd say he had no right to hit me, and he would never do it again. B-but it happened again… and then he started getting angry a lot, about th-things that didn't really matter, and he'd blame me. And s-sometimes it _was_ m-my fault… but… but he st-started getting so violent, and sometimes he wouldn't stop. And then… he would just hurt me. All the time… for no reason. B-but I had to do what he said… if I didn't… he would hurt me worse. I th-thought I was going to die…" his breath hitched, but he kept going. "He was going to… to kill me," he whispered. "I don't… I don't know how it happened, but… but Seto saved me. He kept me safe… he made me feel loved again." Seto felt his cheeks burning. "And then… we went to the arcade, and Yami… he…" his voice faltered, and his hands went to his abdomen, as though remembering the knife wound.

For a moment, no one moved. Both gods were staring at the tiny duelist, their faces impassive, but Seto could _feel_ their surprise and disapproval.

"Lies," Yami whispered harshly, the word snapping the silence abruptly. His face was a mask of fury, his hands were clenched at his sides, and he glared daggers at his former light. "He _lies_."

Seto couldn't stop himself. "No, he doesn't," he snapped back. "Yugi wouldn't lie about something like this. You should _know_ that."

 **Silence, mortal,** Anubis growled. **This is not your trial. You do not have a place to speak.** Seto shut his mouth and bowed an apology.

Ma'at regarded him with an unreadable look for a moment before speaking. **Let us see for ourselves, rather than depend upon their words,** she declared. **Let us open their minds and memories, and determine the truth from that.** Yami's face suddenly looked paler.

Anubis's great head nodded. **So let it be done,** he said.

At his words, images sprang up around Yugi and Yami. Their memories played out in tandem… and their emotions filled the room. Somehow, it was easy to discern which were Yugi's and which were Yami's.

Images. Sounds. Thoughts. Feelings. All sped by, faster and faster. The great battle with Zorc. The struggle, the final great struggle between Light and Darkness that had ended with Yami coming into his full identity as Pharaoh Atem and vanquishing Zorc forever–

 **Wait,** Anubis commanded. **Something is wrong here.**

The vision slowed. Slowly, Zorc disintegrated as they remembered.

But then Yugi drew in his breath sharply. Seto's eyes widened.

Slowly, they all watched a tiny piece of the Lord of Darkness detach from the dying form…

...and rest on the Puzzle, disappearing as the last of the dark form vanished.

Seto looked at Yugi, who was staring at the vision with horror and comprehension written on his face.

 **So,** said Ma'at softly, though her voice still rippled through Seto's entire being. **This is the last deception of the Lord of Darkness. He made to cling to existence by attaching himself to the Pharaoh.**

Yami was silent, oozing anger and hatred.

"I… I'm sorry, goddess Ma'at," Yugi whispered, trembling. "I thought we… I didn't know…"

 **Peace, Light,** she said gently. **This was not your doing; nor was it your partner's.**

 **No,** Anubis concurred. **But let us truly see the Lord of Darkness' work. Perhaps the true Pharaoh may yet live within his clutches.**

Yugi looked hopeful. Yami merely smirked but said nothing. Seto glared at him. He hated remaining silent, but if asked, he would have said right there that the Pharaoh was evil, through and through, whatever the gods wanted to see.

He wasn't asked, though, and the visions and emotions resumed their pace.

The duel… that great duel between them, separated for the first time. Yugi winning, the pharaoh smiling proudly, asking if the gods would allow him to stay. Their new lives beginning, still light and darkness, but separate entities, each carrying some of the other within him. Yugi's friends welcoming Atem into their midst, his grandfather taking him in as a second grandson. Atem curiously choosing to be called Yami, sharing a room with Yugi, the pair as close to each other as they were when they still shared a body.

 _The perfect fairytale ending_ , Seto snorted to himself, glowering slightly.

Things grew darker. There were fights, as can happen between even the best of friends or lovers, but the fighting happened more and more often, sometimes ending in a shouting match. Then, the first blow: Yami had flat-out struck Yugi across the face in a particularly heated argument. Shock and hurt from Yugi. An immediate apology and remorse from Yami. But like Yugi had said, it happened again. And again.

Yami's memories began to take on a darker tint. Soft, sinuous whispers began to enter his memories, encouraging anger. Revenge. Pain. Sometimes the vision cleared a little, as though Yami's true self had pushed the darkness away. But sometimes it didn't.

The fighting got worse. Yugi's grandfather passed on, sending the lighter half into a storm of grief. And in that time of grief, the violence escalated. The shouting became one-sided, Yugi's confidence plummeted as the bruises on him multiplied. His friends seemed not to notice, drawn more to Yami than to Yugi as the darkness' influence on them grew.

Particular scenes stood out to Seto, making him sicker and sicker.

 _Yami threw Yugi down the stairs in their house in a fit of rage. Yugi lay in a heap of agony. "Get up," Yami snarled. "Nothing is broken, you pathetic worm; I can sense it. GET UP." Yugi slowly complied._

Seto could hardly look at Yami's version of the events, but he could hear the whispers growing stronger and more satisfied. He realized that he was witnessing the piece of darkness take over Yami's mind. _But he doesn't seem to be RESISTING all that much,_ he thought angrily.

The whispers fooled Yami into thinking they were his own thoughts. They insisted that he become a whole being… not tethered to "a half life," to Yugi's lighter half. Becoming whole, the darkness sneered, meant becoming separate. Dim the light, snuff it out… destroy it. Become whole.

It sounded like a bunch of crap to Seto. It made no sense. But he almost _felt_ the change in Yami's memories. The acceptance of the darkness' whispers as truth began to set in, and Yugi paid the price.

 _Yugi ran through the house, trying desperately to escape his other half's murderous rage. He was hurt; his ankle had been sprained and he was covered in bruises, rendering him a lot slower than normal. He was within ten feet of the door when his entire world became shrouded in darkness. He looked around wildly, wondering frantically where the door had gone, and saw Yami, snickering darkly and advancing. "There is nowhere to run in the Shadow Realm, partner," he sneered. "PENALTY GAME." Something struck him from behind, and for the next few minutes, agony was all he knew._

More violence, more terror. Yami's emotions ranged from rage to sick enjoyment, his very psyche becoming darker and darker. There was no distinction between the Lord of Darkness and Yami now. Seto had been right. He was evil through and through.

The thought gave him no satisfaction.

Then came a scene that nearly made Seto lose the contents of his digestive system.

 _"I thought you wanted this,_ partner, _" Yami sneered, thrusting as Yugi screamed. "Didn't you want this all along?"_

 _"N-not this… not like this… PLEASE," his anguished howl cut off his own response. "S-stop… stop, please…"_

 _"Oh no, we can't stop now… I'm not finished…" Yami's growl was low, sickeningly amused._

He tried to shut out Yami's memory of it, refusing to look, but it echoed terribly… He focused on Yugi's… which ended up being worse.

 _Yugi lay curled on the floor of a tub in a tight ball, in the corner where the bathtub and the wall connected. He was wet, shivering, and completely naked. He was brutally bruised, and bleeding from several cuts that looked nauseatingly like fingernail marks. The worst of all, however, was the blood on his legs… and the blood washing down the tub. Blood from a place where no one should ever bleed. He was shaking like a leaf, his arms wrapped around himself tightly, his eyes staring at nothing in front of him. That was the scariest part of all… the look that screamed of shock, betrayal, denial, tears streaming unchecked and unheeded down his face._

 _Eventually, he disentangled himself, drying himself haphazardly with a towel within easy reach, wrapping it clumsily around himself. He tried to stand, but tortured agony shot through him, and he collapsed. Half-crawling, half-dragging himself, he managed to get out of the bathroom, heading towards his bedroom. Their bedroom. He paused, shaking and sobbing, not wanting to go anywhere near him…not anymore. But he also wanted to curl up in his own bed. Some kind of comfort, that's all he wanted. He started forward, barely managing to make it into the dark room._

 _A light flickered on. He cringed. A hand grabbed a fistful of hair, yanking upward, ignoring his hoarse cry of protest._

 _"You do not sleep here," Yami snarled. "You should know that now."_

 _Yugi opened his eyes, still streaming, fixing a broken, pleading gaze on his darker half. There was no pity in Yami's eyes… or in his heart. Just cold indifference. Maintaining his grip on his hair, Yami dragged him out of the room, tossing him carelessly to the ground. Wordlessly, he returned to their bedroom – his bedroom, now – and shut the door. And Yugi crawled into his grandfather's old, dusty bedroom and cried himself to sleep on the cold floor, wondering if he would ever wake up again._

Seto's stomach churned, nausea eating away at his insides. He'd had no idea…no idea. In front of him, Yugi was shaking, arms wrapped around himself as he relived that nightmare. Ma'at was gazing at him with sympathy, but doing nothing to stop the flow of memory. She would have the full story.

Seto FIRMLY made himself stop listening; he had to swallow hard, once, twice, to keep down bile. He was shaking, too, he realized, with fury; the desire to wring Yami's neck with his bare hands warred with a desperate desire to go to Yugi and just _hold_ _him._

 _All he'd wanted was some comfort._ That was all. And even now… Seto growled to himself. To hell with what the goddess had told him. Yugi needed him. He walked up behind Yugi, ignoring the warning look Ma'at gave him, and placed his hands gently on his shoulders. Yugi started in surprise, looking up at him, the flow of images flickering for a second or two. Then, the pain on his face melted into determination, and he turned back to the goddess, leaning slightly into Seto's warmth.

Seto glared up at the two deities, daring them to challenge him – even as part of him mentally screamed that doing this was _terribly_ stupid. But Yugi had had every comfort ripped away from him; the _least_ they could do was allow him this. After a moment, they nodded. Seto relaxed.

More memories. More images. But then, they came on to ones that were familiar to Seto. Yugi at his locker, receiving Seto's grudging help…

 **Wait,** Anubis said. **Let the mortal share his thoughts also. He is part of this.**

 **Yes,** Ma'at responded after a moment of consideration. **That would be prudent. Seto Kaiba, open your mind and allow us to read your memories.**

It was not a request. Seto bowed his head and did not fight when he felt a presence enter his mind. And suddenly, his memories, his emotions, were being displayed with the others'.

The scene in the library. He had never told Yugi that he'd seen it happen. His suspicions, his watching. Yami dragging Yugi to a nondescript alley downtown with the intent to kill. The darkness and evil was raging in full swing, calling for the destruction of Light, wanting to crush Yugi down until he had no hope left and finally kill him to complete the victory. And at that moment… Yugi had very little light left in him, but seemed to be holding on to it, depriving Yami of the separation he wanted.

Thus… the knife. The attempted murder. Except Seto had stopped him; he watched himself slam into Yami from behind, stopping him at the last minute. Checking Yugi, taking him home.

Now the memories diverged. Yugi, healing both inside and out in the care of Seto. Seto, slowly coming to care for the tiny duelist as he kept a watchful eye out, becoming the protector that Yami had once been. Yami himself, searching for his missing other half, furious beyond imagining that he had failed, that he didn't know who or what had stopped him. The darkness beginning to break cover as it raged, pouring all his energy into the search.

The Shadow Realm. The weeks of healing, the little victories that had meant so much to them both – smiles, laughter, eye contact. The decision to take Yugi out for a day of fun… that _disastrous_ decision that caused guilt to swirl through Seto's gut, watching it happen all over again.

The meeting with Yami. The knife. Oh gods, the knife. And this time, it had hit its mark.

A sigh was heard from both gods. The memories faded; Seto felt the presence in his mind recede. He wrapped his arms around Yugi, his small partner clinging to his hands, leaning back into him a bit. Both of them were shaking, still. _Gods_ , he had suffered so much. So much…

 **It is clear now,** Ma'at declared. **The young Light was entirely truthful.**

 **Yes,** added Anubis. **The pharaoh allowed darkness to consume him. The Lord of Darkness poisoned his very soul, and he did not fight it. He accepted it.**

Yami growled angrily, and Seto saw that he was barely keeping himself under control. He truly looked like the demon he was now, his face twisted into a terrifying mask of hatred, his eyes glowing that deep, dangerous crimson.

 **Pharaoh Atem, come forth,** Ma'at declared. Yami jerked a little, and then stepped forward. The goddess approached the scales, removing the feather from her headdress. **Your soul shall now be weighed against the feather of truth.** A deep red flame appeared on one scale. Ma'at placed her feather on the other.

Barely a moment passed before the feather's scale rose swiftly, causing the scale with the flame on it to hit the pedestal with a clank that sounded like the toll of death itself.

"No!" Yami roared. "I am Pharaoh Atem! You cannot–"

 **Pharaoh Atem died when the Lord of Darkness corrupted his soul,** thundered Anubis, causing the very walls of the temple to tremble. **The noble pharaoh is lost to Yami, host of darkness and evil. BEGONE,** he snarled, **SUFFER YOUR ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IN THE JAWS OF AMMIT.**

Yami screamed in fury and denial. He dove as though to drag Yugi with him – Seto tightened his grip and shifted, ready for a fight – but Anubis pointed at him and he flew back to his original spot. Red-hot coils rose from the ground, wrapping the spirit tightly in them.

The floor beneath him disappeared, and the last thing they heard was his final, protesting scream as he was dragged to the home of Ammit, the Devourer of Souls, in the Underworld below.

 **The darkness is once again locked away where it belongs,** intoned Anubis. **Never to return.**

Yugi was hyperventilating, staring wide-eyed at the gaping hole. Seto shifted, squeezing one hand gently, trying to remain strong for him.

The deities' gazes turned to them. **Yugi Mutou,** Ma'at called, much more gently, **come forth.**

Seto reluctantly let go of him, giving his hands one final squeeze of reassurance. Yugi steeled himself, and walked up to the scales. A white flame appeared on one scale.

 **Your soul shall now be weighed against the feather of truth,** the goddess declared. She placed her feather on the second scale, and Seto held his breath.

The feather's scale trembled… and sank. The white flame rose, higher than the feather, and stayed there.

Relief coursed through him. And then he chided himself for his stupidity; there was no chance Yugi would be sent to that terrible place.

Ma'at smiled. **Yugi Mutou, young Light, you have suffered much. Far, far too much. You are free to enter the afterlife and join Osiris, where you will know peace at last.**

Yugi straightened, as though all the burdens of his sad, hard life were falling away. He turned, smiling in pure joy. A door opened in front of him, leading out to the wide expanse of sky. Before heading towards it, though, he turned to Seto. He ran to him, and Seto knelt and reached for him immediately, capturing him in a tight embrace.

"Thank you," Yugi whispered. "Thank you… for everything. I'll… I'll watch over you. I promise."

"You don't have to do anything," Seto mumbled, trying to keep his composure. "I… I'm just glad to see you finally happy."

Yugi pulled away, smiling still. "Goodbye, Seto. I know I'll see you again." And he turned and walked through the door, becoming a being made purely of light.

He was beautiful.

Seto rose, feeling both sadness and joy well up within him. He bowed to the gods, who inclined their heads in reply. Then, he walked out of the temple, to the Blue-Eyes that was waiting for him.

* * *

Three weeks later, he cut the ribbon on the new building. Cheers rose behind him, and he allowed himself to smile.

 _The Light of Hope Foundation_ , the sign above the doorway read.

"Mr. Kaiba," a reporter called. He turned and nodded to her. "What's the story behind the name?"

"Well," he said. "As most of you know, Yugi Mutou died as a victim of abuse." Murmurs of assent reached his ears; he'd made _sure_ those details had been made public. "What most of you don't know, however, is that even in the midst of darkness, Yugi never lost hope. Not completely. And as this foundation is dedicated to removing children from abusive families and giving them a welcoming home, I feel it is fitting to call it that. Because I hope that it will become, for many, a light of hope that they desperately need."

More questions flew at him, and he fielded them all while walking to his limo. He had work to do, after all; running a charity _and_ a corporation kept him very busy. He paused for a moment, looking up at the cloudless sky for a moment before getting into his car. And in that moment, just for a second, he could have sworn he saw Yugi smiling at him.

 _The end._


End file.
